#I'll give him a hashtag just in case

[aiberrya]

I wanted an OC.. so here's Winston

I'll probably give up on this idea in a couple of days, so he doesn't have any incredible lore. He is a musician from a wealthy family who did not like his choice of profession. A bit selfish and tries to seem like a big shot, a nerd and kinda awkward. His voice is a violin, and the gameplay would be similar to Maxwell and Wes due to the small amount of health (poor thing)

[genericpuff]

ULO user here! I recently went back and found several old comments I'd made on LO while I was a huge fan of it in 2019.. so embarassing looking back lol. You mentioned that you used to send a bunch of "fangirl" messages back in the day- would love to see your old thoughts/opinions back when you loved LO to compare as a fun(if a bit melancholic) journey, if you'd be willing to share a few? Your thoughts/analysis are always amazing, but I'm super curious as to how you felt back before you realized what a shitshow it was

Haha yeah, I was a fangirl in the sense of like... always being on time for new updates, even if I was out doing other things, messaging my real life friend who got me into the comic to talk about it. Back then Saturday was the height of my week, sometimes the cliffhangers would get me so excited I'd spend the entire week thinking about what could happen next. I suppose I do still look forward to Saturdays now, but for much different reasons.

It's a lil' shameful looking back but I did used to be one of those "don't like it don't read it" dickheads LOL I also used to "not see the issue" with the age gap thing, not because I was okay with age gaps, but as someone who tends to write about immortal beings, I followed the same line of thinking that "they're gods, it shouldn't matter", until I realize just how silly it was that if that were the case, the comic wouldn't be constantly calling out the age difference and drawing Persephone to look as young as possible. I had to really sit on LO for a long time before I started seeing the issues with it. Ironically what opened my eyes to it was lurking in the #antiloreolympus hashtag every now and then, I'd be reading the opinions like "these opinions suck! they don't get it! they're just being nitpicky/mean/etc.!" and yet I duped myself by doing just that because it exposed me to other points of view which became more and more relevant as the comic declined in quality. I think it was around the trial arc that I started to notice the holes (one of the big tells for me that maaaybe LO didn't know what it was doing was when Persephone chose Hades to be her lawyer despite him being one of the judges and someone she was romantically involved with, like hello?) and then when the series returned from its mid-season hiatus and skipped right over Persephone's time in the Mortal Realm, that was when I realized the criticisms weren't coming from nowhere and I got off the high horse and started to read their points with more of an open mind.

Of course, I can safely say I wasn't as shitty as some of the stans can be, most of my opinions were just in the weekly discussion threads in the LO sub, but I was still giving my opinions on LO as if it was a Canvas comic, failing to recognize that 1.) just because webcomics are a budding industry doesn't mean they should be exempt from criticism, and 2.) LO isn't anywhere near the same level as Canvas, it's a #1 NYT best selling book with a creator who's won awards, so it absolutely should be subject to criticism and analyzing as LO is representing that same budding industry in a lot of ways.

I'm trying to find stuff from my pre-ULO days but unfortunately nothing from my main profile is loading past the last 9 months LMAO But if I do find any specific examples I'll definitely post them so we can roast past me together (*≧︶≦))(￣▽￣* )ゞI definitely remember back when ULO was created, it came at a perfect time I think LOL

[aufredpratt]

Pin Post

Hey so I'm not gonna make many original posts but uh...here we go.

About me:

I'm a kin of Fred from an alternate timeline where Spike and I fell in love and He turned me instead of me dying to the coffin (in fact I am deeply sensitive to talks of that thing and do not associate with it as much as I can) . I refer to what happens on screen as either "on-screen canon" or "Joss's Canon". Due to be sired by and that bond being used to bring my soul back I am very territorial over Spike and so am very picky with other ships with him.

Read the rest of my (SMUT HEAVY) memories here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/47293282/chapters/119168248

A guide to my hashtags (that aren't me just commenting on things or kin/pairing related):

#me- gifs of me

#my love- gifs of Spike

#art/edits of us- self explanatory again, credit is always given

#hmsftm - Angel (the character) it's an anagram

#old- old posts from before the rebrand that are still relevant

other character tags:

Wesley - #best friend Wesley

Cordelia - #bestie Cordy

Gunn - #the man Gunn

Willow - #Willow the Savior

Faith - #Faith the Badass

and while I don't think I'll have too many of these

#the gays - referring to both faith/buffy and willow/kennedy stuff

my other accounts:

@fredprattaesthetics - aesthetics and pretty posts, some nsft themes

@xxxkittenwritesxxx - writing, discourse, other f/os and irl stuff

@theangelinvestigationpolycule - an AU I made that I absolutely love, mostly re-framing gifs

Please be respectful when interacting with this blog!

ADDENDUM: I am aware that fictionkin is not roleplay, however I pretend like my timeline is cannon in the tags of most posts and post as Fred in most cases because it gives me euphoria. Also may roleplay for the same reasons.

Oh also I am not picky about who I req edits and stuff from so don't come after me for edit accounts you see on this blog. I'm here for content only.

[hyohaehyuk]

i noticed that somethings got cut from the original yt stream related to them drinking sake so watch this yt video after taka appears but in case eventually it gets deleted i also uploaded the parts that are missing (Part 1 / Part 2)

Some "Takeru Sugar and yt live" and "Miura Shohei & Shirota Yu & Takeru Satoh & Takahiro Moriuchi youtube live" transcriptions

Takeru's youtube delivery is lagging. it's so interesting to watch the delay between Sugar and the youtube live hahah

Sugar comment: Your new haircut looks good! Yu: Who's? Yours? Tkr: Dunno, I didn't cut my hair. Yu: I did but I guess they asked you 😂

Yuu in the stream/sugar before Shohei's stream, seeing Tkr wearing a ring in his right ring finger, asked him 'have you got married?' 🤣🤣🤣

Also when Tkr was showing A's new sweatshirt, Yuu went, 'like i always said, why don't you make XXL one?' poor son 🤣🤣

about abyts new clothes Yu: Do you wear the pink?? Tkr: Yes Yu: Eeeh?? Tkr: Pink is the cutest Yu: Really? I haven't seen you wearing pink Tkr: There's still a side of me you don't know

They finished sugar because Shohei's live is starting… Yu: Ahh I should have gone to the toilet! Tkr: Stop joking around! Yu: No, really. Tkr: I haven't seen anybody going to toilet on a youtube live!

NOW WE'RE WATCHING TKR WAITING FOR YU IN FRONT OF THE TOILET WHILE SHOHEI STARTED THE LIVE 🤣🤣🤣 I rewatched it and he was even considering going after Yuu INSIDE the toilet with the camera omg 😂😂

Tkr now LINE-ing with his sister, while they're talking about how they're haven't seen Tkr wearing pink, only black turtleneck, with black pants, coat and so on 😂

Tkr's lil sis suggested the hashtag for the show and Shohei approved it 🤣 #三浦屋の翔へいへ～い

Tkr is still discussing the hashtag with his sis 🤣🤣

-Are we finished talking about Tkr's sister? -We're not. -What's your age gap? -4 years. (is what I heard?)

Yuu: Do you get along with your sis? Tkr: No Yuu: You said that but there's no way you don't get along with her if you're talking with her now Tkr: She's just giving orders (abt the hashtag)

-Did we meet her? -No

-Does your mother and sister comes to your place? -Nope -Then.. I'll come along with you when you go visiting them. -Why? -To meet your sister. -…Please stop. 😂

it's interesting to watch them trace the start of the friendship~~ Tkr recognized Yuu (and Shohei i think?) from ikemen magz at that time, when there were lots of magz with Yuu on cover, also at that time there were ikemen hype, like IkePara, and TeniPuri stageplay (or musical i forgot 🙈), and Yuu was one of the most popular 😂

While Yuu don't really change since then, Tkr becomes more shou-ene (has little energy) time after time 😂 But actually, when they first met, Tkr adjusted to Yuu's mood at that time. So maybe since they got along, Tkr can be himself more 🥺

Yu, Shohei: Q. Between the three of you who is the most handsome character? Tkr: Eeh? Yu, Shohei: Should we tell at three? Tkr: handsome character… both points at Takeru Tkr: Well, me. 😂 Tkr: I don't get the meaning of "handsome character"

From the countless games Tkr did with Yuu, the one Yuu thinks he can win against him is magical banana 🤣

Magical Youtube!

youtube - hikakin - neko - kawaii

Y: Eh was that one valid (kawaii)? T: oi you gotta be kidding me!

And the debate starts which one is valid between "neko is cute" and "plant is cute"

TAKAAAAAA ARRIVEEEEEED

Seems like Shohei didn't invite Taka??? So he didn't know that he will come??? Tkr said that Shohei might be reluctant (?) to invite these famous guys so he didn't invite Taka 🙈🙈

Taka was worried this delivery won't go right with these two (Yu, Shohei) so he decided to come to stir things up😂 He brought sushi and sake too, because they're interesting when they're drinking 😂

Bc Taka isn't invited today, he called Shohei's manager to find out where these guys at, and he came after eating sushi 🤣🤣

Taka: you know when these guys (Shohei and Yuu) started to get drunk, they will just act like children

Then Yuu confirmed their position (?) again, Taka-mama, Tkr-papa, Shohei-first son, Yuu-second son

Taka is here to support~ mama is here to help papa taking care of his first son's first livestream :)))

Taka gived tissues and Takeru tease him “Old man handing out tissues” 🤣

Taka to Shohei: WHY you wear all-white!!

Taka: How many people are watching: Staff: 90.000 people Tkr: It's better to not tell this, because he (shohei) is nervous. 😅 Shohei: Eeeh, 90.000 people are watching?? 😳😬

Taka: 90k ppl are watching these ikemens and what are you guys doing righ now!!

Seems like Yuu mistook Toru for Tegoshi once 🤣

OOR only did outdoor lives back then, so when Yuu said he also watched OOR live but indoor, Taka said that it must be Tegoshi AHAHA

Also Yuu and Teppei (CMIIW) covered a Kobukuro song together during a school fes 👀👀 Taka talking abt Yamada Shintarou

Now they're talking about marrige. They guessed it right that Shohei would be the first one to get married, and for Tkr, Shohei is THE example of a good guy (Shohei is Takeru' role model). And as expected they said that Tkr is the most complicated person when talking abt this 🤣

Yu: Taka said once that he can't be married until all the members in the band aren't married. But now that all of them are done it, he could done it anytime 😂

But one opinion is that marriage is impossible for all three of them (except Shohei who is already married) Takeru said he feels like Yu can do it too... But for them (Taka, Takeru) it's impossible 😂 (me: 👀)

Takeru said that normal/ordinary happiness is the most important thing and that he and Taka "can't find normal/ordinary happiness."

Taka uses lots of emoji Tkr doesn't use emoji at all, but he will hide his kindness somewhere in the messages (like, suddenly, 'how bout you Takapin?'). And will get very kind once they talk one-on-one.

Shohei: I’m thinking of shooting a drama and upload on youtube. With Takeru as producer, Yuu as director and me and TAKA as actor. TAKA can do it definitely.

TAKA: It’s impossible for me. I can’t even remember the lyrics to my songs

Taka getting worried abt this project,

Shohei: I have you guys with me. It'll definitely be okay.

They're talking seriously abt Yuu as the musical director, and suddenly Tkr said 'is it interesting?' with that smug face 🤣🤣

Taka is not sure whether he can sit tight during the whole musical (2 hrs ish), then he's like "but Tkr will come right? Then i'll just go with him" 🤭 But Tkr keeps asking whether it's interesting or not 🤣

Shohei to Taka (abt the musical): then just go together (with Tkr), as a husband and wife

Yuu will get very nervous when he knows Tkr is watching him XDD But that's bcos he knows that Tkr will analyze and judge things strictly, his standard is high but he will strictly tell which is good/bad. That's why Yuu is kinda reluctant to directly tell him that it's interesting

They're talking abt Tkr has the quality to be a person behind the scenes (prod/dir), but he said that it's bcos they know how to work (as actors/musicians), they should try to produce things. And yes Yuu is actually doing that, by creating a musical that he wants to create

Also Tkr said that the best condition is a person who can act AND direct, bcos he knows the feelings of the actors, so it won't be just one way from the director.

According to Taka, Tkr has almost never missed OOR's concerts 😳 And at one time, he came to their meeting, just sat there like a director, with a pen and setlist in front of him. Tkr said that someday he wants to produce OOR's con and YES i really want to see that happen 🔥🔥

And they left just like that

via helgaw321 , Rutake5 and ninoaimiya

From this article (rough translation):

"The topic of his student days began, and Sato surprisingly confessed "I was a shy person when I was in high school, so I wasn't popular at all." ' It seemed like he couldn't hide his surprise.

When asked, "Have you ever been confessed to?", he corrected himself by saying, "I've never been confessed to by someone in high school…Oh, but that's a lie! It happened once or twice." "But I think this person was cool in high school."

When pointed at it, Miura carelessly said, ``When I was in high school, I don't know if I could use it…Oh, it's raw!'' Shirota tsked, "Wait, wait, be careful!" and made him laugh."

[magickastiel]

Please mob boss cas and babygirld dean fic rec list?!

i'm so sorry this has taken me so long!! i read some more bc i wanted to make sure i had a decent list

putting this under a cut because most of these are nsfw 👀

russian mob cas x babygirl dean fics recs ⬇️

ok here goes! for some reason, mob!cas and omegaverse go hand in hand in the fanfic world, so i've seperated this lil list into normal au and omegaverse because i know it makes some people uncomfy!!

normal au:

i'll come for you (rating: explicit | warnings: violence | complete) this one is next on my list to read so i can't give it a definite seal of approval but it sounds very interesting!!

Castiel is a member of the Bratva who holds a lot of power inside and out of prison. Dean is a former Army medic whose big mouth got him into deep trouble with the Aryan brotherhood just weeks into his sentence. He needs protection, or his measly two years in lockup could end as a death sentence.

life is a highway (rating: explicit | warnings: none | complete) dean is oblivious and hot for an accent. cas is violently hashtag girlbossing his life

The one where Dean falls for fellow student Cas, who’s so much more than first perceived. Will Dean be able to live with the secret once revealed, or will it doom them both?

rule one (rating: unrated (i'd say mature) | warnings: none | complete) short oneshot which i would love more of! dean is the prison babygirl and cas has dibs

There were only a few rules to prison. Some were the stuff you saw in movies: keep your head down, spend as little time in the showers as possible, etc. And some were specific to the George Hoyt Correctional Facility (aka Purgatory): the guards usually overlooked contraband porn mags if you let them have one, if TJ is on kitchen duty do not eat the mashed potatoes. And most importantly: you do not fucking touch Dean Winchester.

angels like you (rating: explicit | warnings: violence | incomplete) it looks like this one may have been abandoned but i've subbed just in case because i really liked where it was going!

Dean Winchester's trip for a drink turns into so much more when he visits the Red Room, a shithole strip club right in the center of the city. Run by Castiel Krushnic, the leader of the Russian mob, it's a hotspot for booze, sex, drugs, and for-hire mercenaries. But Dean doesn't know that- he's just moved here. Yet, in his first week in the city, he's already attracted the attention of Krushnic himself- which can only spell trouble, in a town like this one.

look what you made me do (rating: explicit | warnings: graphic violence | complete) despite the serious and dramatic summary, this one is VERY fun. a dark romantic comedy if you will

Dean watches, terrified, as blood coats the door–his knuckles depositing more and more of it with every knock. “Come on, Cas, open up.” Panicked, he looks back over his shoulder, the dead of night feeling less comforting and more like it’s about to bust wide open at any second. How could he be so stupid?

hit on me (rating: mature | warnings: none | complete) this is super cute! dean and cas are both just trying to do their jobs with mixed results

Dean had a standing date every Thursday night with an incredibly attractive Russian businessman. Well, “date” may have been a little misleading, given that Dean was at work and the Russian businessman was someone Dean waited on. Whatever Dean could think what he wanted about it in the privacy of his own head.

perfectly capable crime lord (rating: teen | warnings: none | complete) i'm cheating a bit with this one because cas isn't russian but he does speak russian at one point so eh

When Dean asked his boyfriend what his job was, Cas told him, completely deadpan, “I’m a mob boss, Dean.” But no one’s boyfriend is actually a mob boss. Right?

shouldn't have opened the door (rating: teen | warnings: none | complete) again, cheating bc cas isn't russian but this is a very cute series!

Dean opens the door one night to find one of his spookier customers at his door.

omegaverse au:

shipwreck of your heart (rating: explicit | warnings: violence | WIP) ✨ ok this is THEE fic to read and follow imo!! if you're like me and you don't have strong feelings about a/b/o, i would recommend giving this a try! while a/b/o is definitely a theme here, it's not front and centre. dean is the most babygirl to ever babygirl. cas is basically a russian mr darcy. it's amazing.

Dean Winchester is a young Omega working three jobs to support himself and his abusive, alcoholic father. His dream is to help his aunt and uncle send his brilliant little brother to college. One of the few bright spots for him is the job he works at a burger place called Mystery Spot, a restaurant owned by four Russian brothers that Sammy and Dean joke all the time is a front for a mafia. One day, however, when a man comes in and tries to kill Dean’s favorite Krushnic brother right in front of him, the Omega is forced to admit that maybe his running joke with Sammy isn’t too far off the mark. As Dean is thrown into the world of the Krushnic mafia, he finds himself getting closer than ever to Castiel Krushnic himself. The Alpha seems to harbor a strange soft spot for Dean, one that grows more obvious and more confusing by the day. Suddenly, Dean has to wonder why the kindest person in his life is a mafia boss, and why said mafia boss is so dead-set on taking care of him. It’ll take a very stubborn person to convince Dean he deserves that. It’s lucky Castiel Krushnic is a very stubborn man.

better than revenge (rating: explicit | warnings: none | complete) as the author's notes say, this one is a lot lighter than you think it will be! this definitely has a 'modern' omegaverse vibe too which is a lot more enjoyable to read than most other a/b/o fics

Dean Winchester is #blessed. He's got a great family, a million followers on social media, ad endorsements coming out of his extremely fine omega ass, and he's about to graduate with a hard-won Master's Degree in Computer Engineering. Said degree is an escape hatch to the life he craves, away from the scripted roles his well-meaning father keeps trying to corral him into. Dean's a lot of things, but he's not cut out to be a Don—or to fall in love. Castiel Krushnic is a ruthless, hardened alpha underboss for the Russian Mafia and his only soft spot is for his daughter. When she's sent away to the U.S. in hopes of a better life, Castiel follows, reluctantly moving a chunk of the operation with him. His marching orders are clear—first order of business is to send a message to John Winchester, Don of the enemy local syndicate. The easiest way to do that? Use his son. Sounds easy, but Castiel wasn't expecting to fall head-over-heels, or for Dean to want him back. What's an alpha to do when a beautiful omega and an unorthodox mob boss have him questioning everything, abandoning his past and all of its pain for something much better than revenge?

[shuckinbeanz]

Gangster!BNHA au p.2

warnings/notes: nsfw, minors dni or imma 👏 virtual 👏 smacc 👏 u 👏, and fucking (literally) gangsters. left off from what i shared with @miggiisdumb ages ago incase some of ya'll didn't see. click the link for some gangster! kiri, denki, and deku. 👀 im thirsty af so im sexing up several more hubbies some are longer than others

i'll post other parts soon can only fit so many hashtags 😩

Underage characters are Aged Up!

MINORS 👏 DNI! 👏 AGE 👏 IN 👏 BIO 👏 OR 👏 DNI! 👏 Head on over to @candybowbeansies please for my SFW pieces, or be blocked if you interact here! 😇

First | Second | Third

we know(or at least some of us know) ab her LOVELY gangster!bakugo 🥵 which inspired these! Featuring toshinori, aizawa, & mirio~

gangster!toshinori is one of the many gangs goddamn leaders, he's borderline mafia(don't doubt for one second he's got connections with them). in this au his physique is somewhere in the middle between his buff and smol forms. as an older gentleman, he prefers the more subdued aesthetic than the drip the youngsters tend to wear; suits, ties, button-up shirts. he expertly plays himself off as a kindly airhead, all brawn, no brain himbo, but this mf is calculating. two faced(in case you were wondering where gangster!deku got his two-facedness), completely fucking merciless to those who cross him or his darling baby girl. won't hesitate to make a show of it, either. he sets up everything, having that bastard salaryman (who will soon regret being alive) who was a complete creep, hounding you to hook up with him looked into and kidnapped, his whole gang behind him. creep wakes up in a warehouse, gangster!deku holding his Boss's gaudy yellow suit jacket surrounded by other members, the blonde adjusting his shirt cuff. "A pretty little birdy told me...about your unsavory habits, ____." he'd say with his characteristic grin(except its a gawdamn warning signal with how much fucking killing intent is behind it). tl;dr dude gets clapped by the Might gang and shipped off only Toshinori knows where, minus a few things that i dare not specify.

Oh, that creep finally stopped bothering you? Nah, don't worry about it, baby. Here, have some lavish gifts from Daddy so you can get your pretty little mind off him. He doesn't matter, anymore. 😉

HE SPOILS YOU ROTTEN like if anyone saw yalls they'd think he was your sugar daddy. i mean he kinda is but if you like older men like me 😩 he gets allllllllllllllllllllllllll the repayment he could ever need and then some Daddy pls jus rail my cooch all i want is 2 b ur toyyy 🥴

Behind closed doors? Two words. Goliath. Dick. its massive and it shows thru his dick print on his tuxedo pants and you take it like a goddamn soldier. 🥴 "That's it, darling...you take me so, so well. I almost feel sorry for ruining you for others..." expect to be molded into his cocksleeve😩🥵

gangster!shouta tends to keep his questionable activities on the downlow. he's Might gang's 'cleaner' so to speak. he 'ties up loose ends' by whatever means necessary. he's also a hitman. employers seek his boss, his boss briefs him, and he claps the target. ez pz. constantly looking through a scope to clap targets really puts a strain on his eyes. he teaches as a teacher on the side. need to pay bills, somehow, and the extra cash is appreciated. he can be found at quiet bars, and on occasion dragged to a club during its 'quieter' hours by his boyfriend gangster!hizashi.(it can be a poly relationship if ur into dat 👀👀👀)

poor man is overworked, and nothing gets his chonky minizawa up quicker than TLC. Give him a massage, run your fingers through his hair, light scented candles and have a bubble bath together, scrub his back, do facials together, give him fucking breakfast in bed, pls just care for him 🥺👉👈 "This is a very pleasant surprise, kitkat." he'll tell you as he bends you over any available surface and proceeds to rail you 😩🥵 man's dick is thicc so be prepared for a pleasant stretch 🥴

gangster!mirio is a very energetic himbo who can never sit the fuck still. he's like a goddamn golden retriever. he is very excitable, a huge fucking flirt, and a complete showoff. like gangster!denki he doesn't have an ounce of shame. he is also extremely possessive, but you love it thats why you stay 😂 that and his dick game(which is for later) 😂 he'll see that dude who was oogling you from the corner of the club while you were catching up with your friends in front of you, before you do. hovering closely behind you, drink in one hand, other shamelessly groping your phat ass "Ay, fella~" smoothing over your hip "Like what you see?~" hooking a thumb inside the band of your bottoms "Too bad. She's mine." rutting his crotch against your ass before bending and placing hot kisses on your neck.

he is another pussy-eater like gangster!deku. veryenthusiastic. most of the time itll go on til you beg him to just use you as a toy. 🥴 dont you underestimate his brute strength. he'll legit lift you up in front of a mirror spread eagle, arms hooked securely under your knees, making you watch his throbbing veiny cock that hits all the right spots in your cunny as he bounces you on his cock 😩 "See that, princess? My fat cock plungin' into that sweet honeypot of yours...?" but oh god his biceps as they flex when he lifts you up then releases you just enough to impale you on it just in time with his thrusts just *bites lip*

[abybweisse]

Thank you for your wonderful entries and sharing all the Mother 3 parallels! Which hashtags should I use to search your old posts on the possibility O!Ciel being made sick on purpose?Thank you

I'm so glad you like all the Mother3 parallels! Thanks! 😊

I have very few posts about the idea/theory about keeping our earl sick, I'm sure, since about the only time I ever talk about the subject is in response to asks or the occasional post elsewhere. Because it's never been a theory of mine but a theory of others.

It's usually part of others' RCMT -- Real Ciel Mastermind Theory -- which I've never ascribed to. Because it's a Munchausen by Proxy idea, in which real Ciel slowly poisoned his younger twin in order to make him ill and/or keep him ill. The idea being, if I recall, to keep him from ever moving away. Either real Ciel did it when they were 5, saw the result of asthma development, and kept doing it... or he saw asthma develop at 5 but later subside, so he started poisoning his brother to either copy the effects or to actually make the asthma symptoms return. How he would know what substances to use, how to get it, how to use it, or what amounts to use is not something any of those theorists has ever properly, realistically explained.

Since Undertaker is so upset over the death of Vincent, and he has toyed with the cinematic records of real Ciel, the only way Undertaker would possibly bring real Ciel back (if any version of RCMT were true, especially if it were a stronger version of the theory) would be to give our earl a target for revenge. But, if that were the case, why go to the trouble of trying to give real Ciel any advantages? Why not, in ch 140 or something, say "Hey, Earl. Here's your older twin. He's the one who made you ill, killed your parents and accidentally got you both sold off to a cult. Destroy him and have your revenge." Or even "Hey, Earl. Here's your pathetic older twin who kept you ill and helped attackers destroy your life, purely in the hopes it meant you could never leave his side, and he accidentally ended up getting you both sold off to a cult. Silly child got himself killed in the process. I've brought him back from the dead... mostly. Hihiiii.... Have a go at him. Or three." But, no.

So, now that we know Undertaker is behind bringing real Ciel back as this "masterpiece" of a bizarre doll -- or Masked Man (and possibly the Ultimate Chimera, depending on what he's actually capable of), if you want the Mother3 parallels -- I'm pretty much convinced that real Ciel (when he was alive) could be nothing more than a weak and scared little child who couldn't protect his family from an attack that got the better of his parents and servants. And then couldn't save himself and had no way of knowing his death would end up "saving" his younger twin.

But, if you are seriously looking for my few posts or comment reblogs on the subject, that's a hard one, because I might not have tagged them for it so specifically. I'd try #RCMT for anything I've written about the main theory, and the "keeping his brother ill" mentions would probably come up within it. You could also try #munchausen by proxy, but that might not bring up search results... just yet. I'll see if I can hunt some of those posts down and look at how they are tagged. Update the tags a bit, if needed. Eventually, I'll add an anti-RCMT section to my Tagging Masterpost. There's already a section for #attack at the manor and #fire at the manor, and those are tags that would also likely bring up RCMT posts, though those tags are broad enough to bring up a lot of completely non-RCMT stuff, too. I'll see what I can do to improve the tagging and searching options for the topic. Meanwhile, I've included those best tags below for you to click and see what you get, and you can try things like "RCMT" and "Munchausen by proxy" in the search field of my blog to see if anything else comes up. Honestly, these are the same methods I use when I'm trying to find my own old posts/reblogs. I think of what tags I might have used or even a phrase that might be in the post but not in the tags, and I use that faulty-ass search function for all it's worth.

I hope this helps you find the posts you are searching for.

ETA: clicking the #rcmt tag below brings up a lot of posts that might interest you, and I came upon a "keeping our earl ill" post after a bit of scrolling. It's only briefly mentioned there, but it's there... in reference to older posts, looks like. I added #munchausen by proxy to the tags for it. Here's another I've now updated the tags for; it talks way more about the forced illness aspect of RCMT. In that one, the reason given was less about keeping our earl there and more about just keeping the younger twin weak... so that the older twin remains stronger, by comparison.

Other tags that might be useful include #anti rcmt, #real ciel powerless theory lol, #rcpt, and perhaps another tag or two in the posts linked above. I'll add those tags below, too, for clicking purposes.

However, after my own searching methods, I only found three posts that specifically talk about that subject, including this post. There might be more, but they must not be tagged with anything too helpful.

[fistful-of-spell-slots]

Dalle-2 D&D Guide: Goblins - Part 2 of 3

In this next part we'll be covering the shots, and clothing. The clothing can be very challenging with monsters since the monster is fighting against the normally human clothing and outfits. I'll share what worked and note what was challenging.

5. Camera distance (types of shots):

The shot here refers to the distance the metaphorical camera is from the subject. I recommend looking through the Dall-e Dictionary to learn more about all the shots you can use. This link gives a detailed overview at what the shots SHOULD mean in dall-e (that leads to the DICTION-AI-RI! definitely check it out!).

In the following sections we'll be covering the following additional shots:

5.1 close-up shot

5.2 medium shot

5.3 profile shot

5.4 over the shoulder shot

Also we've already covered portrait shots so far. After medium the picture loses a lot of detail. I don't recommend going much further past that - unless you're looking for character design inspiration.

5.1 ---- Close-up Shot

Prompt: A goblin, close-up shot, by Michael Whelan, fantasy, digital art, trending on artstation, highly detailed

Close-up shots are great for symmetry and for details. #4 may be due to how close-up shots are normally taken in photography.

5.2 ---- Medium Shot

This is where we really see Michael Whelan shine as an artist choice. We'll be comparing him to Frank Frazetta and Stephen Martiniere.

Prompt: A goblin, medium shot, by Michael Whelan, fantasy, digital art, trending on artstation, highly detailed

Whelan produces excellent goblins even at a medium shot. He'll be our clear winner moving forward. He'll also be good for fantasy outfits and backgrounds.

Prompt: A goblin, medium shot, by Stephan Martinière, fantasy, digital art, trending on artstation, highly detailed

Stephen Martiniere is a fantastic science fiction artist. While he does produce high quality art in most cases, here our goblins start to look a bit too much like aliens. Keep Martiniere in your back pocket for science fiction purposes.

5.4 ---- Profile Shot

prompt: A goblin, profile shot, by Michael Whelan, fantasy, digital art, trending on artstation, highly detailed

I can't wait to see this band. Beware that your subject may sometimes turn slightly from the camera

5.4 ---- Over the Shoulder Shot

prompt: A goblin, over the shoulder shot, by Michael Whelan, fantasy, digital art, trending on artstation, highly detailed

Excuse me but #4 is an owl not a goblin. The flaw may be due to confusion on where Dall-e needs to focus.

6 Clothing and Armor:

We all want to feel the breeze on our chests...but it's just not worth an OSHA violation to go adventuring without protective gear. Getting the correct outfit can be rather difficult. There's a lot of possible possible outfits you'll want your subject to wear. I'll be sharing prompts that result in the best outcomes. They're not perscriptive though so be sure to experiment.

We'll be going over the following:

6.1 Full Plate

6.2 Chain mail

6.3 Mixed plate and cloth

6.4 Scale mail

6.5 Hide armor

6.6 Leathers

6.7 Wizard's robes

These will all be using a medium shot to show you a fuller picture of the armor. Note that I highly recommend using out painting from a portrait shot to produce a final character picture. So don't get ahead of yourself here. We'll go over that process later. These examples will be useful then.

For brevity I will just leave all these here as examples. Some things you may notice in these prompts:

occasionally I use hashtags. This helps to emphasize elements in the prompt. Use these with caution as they can do unpredictable things to your generations.

Sometimes just describing the goblin's job is enough to produce the correct outfit/look.

Some job descriptions also naturally come with a prop. The knights seem to often come with swords.

Things I discovered while making these examples:

vests/jackets are easy to create out of other materials such as leather, animal hides, and scales.

Any time you say the word "armor" you are likely to get some metallic components in the outfit- especially pauldrons.

Dall-e has a lot of trouble drawing chainmail. You may want to consider some other form of post processing if you want chain mail. In-fact, I had to remove "fantasy" from chain mail so that it would come out clearly.

"Goblin" is disrupting the outputs here. They normally are drawn with very simple clothing on and not with armor. Having a more human subject is going to improve a lot of these. Just saying "human paladin" for instance may put it in full shining plate armor.

6.1 --- Full Plate

prompt: A goblin paladin in armor, medium shot, by Michael Whelan, fantasy, digital art, highly detailed, trending on artstation

prompt: A goblin knight in shining armor, medium shot, by Michael Whelan, fantasy, digital art, highly detailed, trending on artstation

prompt: A goblin knight in armor, #sleek, #reflective, medium shot, by Michael Whelan, fantasy, digital art, highly detailed, trending on artstation

6.2 --- Chain Mail

prompt: A goblin warrior wearing medieval chainmail, #chainmail, medium shot, by Michael Whelan, digital art, highly detailed, trending on artstation

6.3 --- Demi-plate

prompt: A goblin knight, medium shot, by Michael Whelan, fantasy, digital art, highly detailed, trending on artstation

6.4 --- Scale Mail

prompt: A goblin wearing a vest decorated with overlapping scales, medium shot, by Michael Whelan, fantasy, digital art, highly detailed, trending on artstation

prompt: A goblin wearing a jacket decorated with overlapping scales, medium shot, by Michael Whelan, fantasy, digital art, highly detailed, trending on artstation

6.5 --- Hide Armor

prompt: A goblin wearing an animal hide vest, medium shot, by Michael Whelan, fantasy, digital art, highly detailed, trending on artstation

prompt: A goblin wearing an animal hide jacket, medium shot, by Michael Whelan, fantasy, digital art, highly detailed, trending on artstation

6.6 --- Leather Armor

prompt: A goblin wearing a leather vest, medium shot, by Michael Whelan, fantasy, digital art, highly detailed, trending on artstation

prompt: A goblin warrior wearing leathers, medium shot, by Michael Whelan, digital art, highly detailed, trending on artstation

prompt: A goblin wearing a studded leather vest, medium shot, by Michael Whelan, fantasy, digital art, highly detailed, trending on artstation

prompt: A goblin wearing a leather jacket, medium shot, by Michael Whelan, fantasy, digital art, highly detailed, trending on artstation

prompt: A goblin wearing a leather coat, medium shot, by Michael Whelan, fantasy, digital art, highly detailed, trending on artstation

6.7 --- Wizard's robes

prompt: A goblin wizard, medium shot, by Michael Whelan, fantasy, digital art, highly detailed, trending on artstation

prompt: A goblin wearing wizard robes, medium shot, by Michael Whelan, fantasy, digital art, highly detailed, trending on artstation

Bonus: Rogue outfit

The above outfits should pretty much get you where you need. Normal clothes that you would see on a person are fairly straightforward so I wont cover them here. In the meantime enjoy this goblin rogue.

prompt: A goblin rogue, medium shot, by Michael Whelan, fantasy, digital art, highly detailed, trending on artstation

Disclaimer:

my personal beliefs are that AI art should be used only for enjoyment and not for profit. Please support art and artists and furthermore write to your senators about protecting the arts through subsidies, tax breaks for working artists and for laws that protect the jobs of artists. It will not be so easy to change the pose of your characters through dall-e. Consider paying an artist for a commission of that character.

-Austinitic_steel

[sunnyrosewritesstuff]

I read that little fic of yours where tintin and haddock dance in the rain and the hashtags have "god au". And this piqued my curiosity and wanted to ask you about if you write about this Tintin God AU. Because I find it interesting and i want to know about for this fic! If of course you want to tell me first. If you don't want to tell me for personal reasons, then I'll understand. (Also, I love your writing too!)💖

👀👀 Someone who wants to hear me drone on about Dim and I’s mad AUs? 😍😂

YES! I’d be happy to talk about the gods AU!

First off, this AU is still in the process of being written but I do almost have the prologue done. (Stupid worldbuiliding introduction gods meeting giving me fits 😒) Hopefully I’ll be able to unveil it soon! But here are the highlights anyways:

In the universe, gods are born from the prayers/wishes/pleas of the humans on earth. So it is possible for a god to die, but they just become reborn if they are still needed. It’s not a true reincarnation though. They don’t have the memory or personality of the previous god of their position.

So Tintin is the reborn god of wind, and baby gods are raised by older gods until they can function on their own so he was raised by Mother Nature (Bianca), and he wants to finally be independent. Only no one thinks this is a good idea (for reasons I’ll get into later). It’s as he’s flying by the ocean that he catches sight of this small research vessel whose captain seems to captivate Tintin not the least bit because every time Tintin’s wind does something, the captain just leans his head back like he’s enjoying it.

Tintin catches up with his good friend Chang, the god of rivers, who works for the mysterious god of the seas (who hasn’t shown up to the gods meetings in like 500 years). While he’s visiting, stuff happens, and Tintin and Chang end up accidentally thwarting an illegal armed weapons deal that may have something to do with another god’s sudden and tragic death.

Tintin believes solving the case may actually grant him independent status so he eagerly starts working his way to the docks to find his suspects. That’s when he runs into Professor Calculus, a scientist working on global warming, who intrigued with Tintin’s meteorological knowledge invites him aboard the Aurora as his research assistant. Tintin was all ready to decline when he meets its captain, and it’s the same human he had taken notice of earlier.

So from there, we basically have Tintin and Haddock interacting with each other and neither knowing the other isn’t mortal. And we have this illegal weapons trade that actually evolves into a much larger plot and is the reason why the former god of wind lost his life in the first place. 👀

So there ya go! 😂 Plenty of adventure, mystery, romance, and Haddock and Tintin being idiots who can’t figure out they’re both gods.

[rafaelblackbird15]

Teen Wolf Fic Recs Part 4: Sterek

These are Sterek, Stiles Stilinski/Derek Hale fanfictions.

I really love these. They are some of my favourite Sterek stories, and ALL of these are absolutely beautiful. Without a doubt. Send the authors some love, because that's what they've given me and us right here. :)

If there is a problem with any of the links, let me know and I will fix them.

For appropriate reading check the hashtags on the actual fics.

I hope you enjoy these as much as I did.

And check out my other Steter fic recs [Part 1] and [Part 2] and Sterek fic recs [Part 3]

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God Brings The Wounded by CallieB on Archive of Our Own

Words: 4938

Chapters: 1/1

Summary:

“Jesus,” Stiles says, when he sees Derek for the first time, and feels his face do that thing where it tries to smile. Derek, or the weirdly fresh-faced teenage version of Derek that he is now, doesn’t flinch at Stiles’ exclamation.

He’s too busy flinching at everything else.

 

Requested by the lovely nohomohomie, who asked for something angsty post-nogitsune.

Has got to be one of my favourite canon teenage/de-aged Derek fics, with beautiful, angsty Sterek, of course.

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You're Not You by CallieB on Archive of Our Own

Words: 5266

Chapters: 1/1

Part 9 of the Sterek Bingo 2017 series

Summary:

Stiles lifts his head slowly, meeting Derek’s gaze. His eyes… they’re always clever, bright, perceptive, but today there’s something in them that Derek doesn’t recognise. He’s pale, but not defeated. He looks stronger than Derek expected. And unexpectedly, he feels it flash through him in a bolt of absolute, though surprised, certainty.

That's not Stiles.

 

Written for the Dark!Stiles square on my Sterek Bingo card.

This story is possibly one of the best EVER Void!Stiles stories I have ever read. The idea is complex and fascinating and unique. After I read this for the first time I was left stunned and I kept coming back to it in my mind as well as to read because I couldn't get over the idea. It's beautiful.

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Yeah, Pass The Salt, Stiles by CallieB on Archive of Our Own

Words: 3609

Chapters: 1/1

Summary:

Yeah, pass the salt, Stiles.

They're not particularly inspiring words. Not like the long stream of goo spilling over Scotty's arm. But somewhere, Stiles' soulmate is out there, waiting to say them to him.

If only he could stop thinking about the mysterious hot stranger he met in the woods...

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Author: CallieB

This author has 15 Teen Wolf works, most if not all are Sterek. Some of them in particular really hit somewhere special.

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Behind Locked Doors by isthatbloodonhisshirt (wasterella) on Archive of Our Own

Words: 11128

Chapters: 1/1

Summary:

Derek often showed up in his room—at least he used the fucking door now that he knew where the spare key was hidden—and he couldn’t escape people in general in the Jeep since they could see him through the window. His dad was home, and when he wasn’t, there was always the risk of other people showing up.

His bathroom, on the other hand? No, his bathroom was a small room with no window in the middle of the house with a lockable door and no judgement. He could sit in the bathroom for hours, and no one would question it. Was he watching porn on his phone and jerking off? Was he taking a massive dump? Did he have constipation? Was he stitching up the millionth injury of the month in private? Who knew? No one but Stiles!

The locked door at his back felt like a safety net for him sometimes. In the bathroom, he didn’t have to pretend. He didn’t have to smile and wave people’s words off, insist he was fine, laugh and act like everything was okay. In the bathroom, he was allowed to sit on the floor, his expression tight, and his body falling apart on him.

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Author: isthatbloodonhisshirt (wasterella)

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Should Have Looked on Craigslist by Akiruchan on Archive of Our Own

Words: 27217

Chapters: 1/1

Summary:

Derek is rash and self-sacrificing, everything that will one day get him killed. Stiles doesn't want that. He's become too accustomed to a life with Derek Hale in it. To live without, well, it just doesn't seem to be an option.

or...

The five times Stiles' expectations fall short, and the one time he's glad they do.

This is an incredible, slow burn, build of the winding relationship between Stiles and Derek and the world they now live in, side by side. It's wonderful and blessedly long.

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Bless You by Ankiruchan on Archive of Our Own

Words: 3070

Chapters: 1/1

Summary:

It all started with a sneeze...

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Lend Me Your Eyes, Give Me Your Heart by Ankiruchan on Archive of Our Own

Words: 3057

Chapters: 1/1

Summary:

Stiles’ life sucks. He’s honest enough with himself to admit to at least that. More often than not he spends his free time running for his life, saving people from creatures who want to rip his face off, and all around having a distinct lack of self-preservation. It sort of comes with the territory. Not something he can avoid when his circle of friends happen to be werewolves.

**********

Nobody's Fault But Mine by Akiruchan on Archive of Our Own

Words: 26552

Chapters: 4/?

Summary:

Stiles has always been good at ignoring his problems. Preferring to wait them out until they are nothing but a distant memory. But when a midnight stroll leads to a nasty scratch to Stiles side, courtesy of Derek, Stiles finds that some things just can't be ignored, not that he doesn't try. Better hearing and improved eyesight, that is something he can ignore for now. The sudden urge to touch and smell Derek all the time? Not so much.

This is werewolf!Stiles, and it's one the of the laid back, kind, intense versions that I enjoy very much. Unfortunately, I think it's been discontinued, but I believe even so, these 4 chapters are worth the little heartbreak that comes with the knowledge it may not be finished.

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Author: Akiruchan

This author is responsible for some of the best slow build Sterek stories I've read.

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Lock All The Doors Behind You by entanglednow on Archive of Our Own

Words: 25960

Chapters: 1/1

Summary:

He has no idea what you're supposed to say when you find one of your...werewolf acquaintances, completely out of their mind, growling like they're about to see what your insides taste like. There's no handbook for this. Stiles is thinking that if he survives he might write one.

I've come back to this so many times. The relationship is so vulnerable, down to earth and open and kind, extremely kind, which is something Derek really lacks in his life, someone to be kind to him. There's a feeling, somehow, that this is quite natural for them.

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In Case Of Emergency by entanglednow on Archive of Our Own

Words: 1826

Chapters: 1/1

Summary:

Derek falls through Stiles's bedroom window at ten past midnight.

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By Any Other Name by entanglednow on Archive of Our Own

Words: 33090

Chapters: 1/1

Summary:

He doesn't know his name, he doesn't know who he is, and neither does the werewolf he's on the run with. But he's pretty sure they hunt monsters, because they seem to be really good at it.

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I Could Find My Way Back by entanglednow on Archive of Our Own

Words: 6250

Chapters: 1/1

Summary:

What's the worst that could happen?

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Author: entanglednow

This author is responsible for so many amazing fics out there. They have 55 Teen Wolf fics, all with really interesting ideas and takes on the characters and supernatural world.

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You want forgiveness (I'll give that to you) by dearericbittle (dutchmoxie) on Archive of Our Own

Words: 2806

Chapters: 1/1

Summary:

Derek is running from the Alpha, suffering from wolfsbane poisoning and he’s clearly losing it. Why else would he be seeing his mother - and everyone else he might as well have killed himself. But Stiles can’t just let him get what he deserves. Stiles never leaves him behind, even when he should.

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(Fuck you they said) As they threw their threads from their wedding bed by dearericbittle (dutchmoxie) on Archive of Our Own

Words: 96199

Chapters: 9/9

Summary:

First Son Stiles Stilinski just accidentally caused an international incident. And apparently the only way to save human-werewolf relations is to marry him off to Prince Derek of Triskele. Stiles is going to need all of his acting skills to make the marriage look real, because the Prince is kind of a fucking asshole.

***********

Author: dearericbittle (dutchmoxie)

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fake empire by Poe on Archive of Our Own

Words: 3685

Chapters: 1/1

Summary:

Stiles hadn’t meant for any of this to happen. He was going to tell Derek. The whole truth of it. He was halfway through when the phone rang. A half-finished sentence, left hanging in the air as his life crumbled around him.

*

(or: Stiles gets so, so lost. But he finds himself again.)

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you all over me by Poe on Archive of Our Own

Words: 3705

Chapters: 1/1

Summary:

The thing about Stiles is, Derek thinks, is that he has no idea how enthralling he truly is. He’s easy to overlook, right up until the point he isn’t, and at some stage, Derek started looking, and now, it’s all he can do.

(or: the one where the pack is happy, healthy and alive, and Stiles and Derek are sort of inevitable)

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Author: Poe

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For If Dreams Die by veritas_st on Archive of Our Own

Words: 24169

Chapters: 8/8

Summary:

“I had a dream about a boy last night,” Mischief says through a mouthful of pancakes. His dad points the spatula at him and he swallows before he says anything else. “His name was Derek. He called me Stiles. I want to be called that from now on.”

*********

Author: veritas_st

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About Today by rufflefeather on Archive of Our Own

Words: 8901

Chapters: 1/1

Part 1 of the inside these arms series

Summary:

Stiles is having the worst day of his life and it keeps happening.

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Until Tomorrow by rufflefeather on Archive of Our Own

Words: 9016

Chapters: 1/1

Part 2 of the inside these arms series

Summary:

Derek's worst nightmares didn't prepare him for this.

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Let it be me by rufflefeather on Archive of Our Own

Words: 1495

Chapters: 1/1

Summary:

After everything that happened, Stiles goes to see Derek.

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Even the stars they burn by rufflefeather on Archive of Our Own

Words: 5770

Chapters: 1/1

Summary:

Derek finds out quite by accident what makes Stiles shut up. If he reveals along the way that he didn't always carry this darkness around, then that's entirely Stiles' fault.

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Solstice. by rufflefeather on Archive of Our Own

Words: 4119

Chapters: 1/1

Summary:

It's the first total lunar eclipse during winter solstice in three hundred and fifty years and Derek has no idea what's going to happen.

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Author: rufflefeather

This author has some intense, sometimes heartbreakingly endearing, and wonderful Teen Wolf fics.

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Hear The Wheels As They Roll by crossroadswrite on Archive of Our Own

Words: 44919

Chapters: 2/2

Summary:

“You can’t be here. This is private property,” someone calls out and for some reason that voice sounds painfully familiar.

When it hits him why, Stiles almost chokes with the realization, “Derek Hale,” he says, unbelievably happy because he remembers Derek when they were young.

Derek looks grumpier, sadder, angrier. Stiles can’t really fault him for that. He also looks surprised that Stiles knows who he is. He squint/glares suspiciously at him, his nostrils flare for a second before he widens his eyes almost dramatically.

“Stiles,” he says quietly, like he can’t really believe it.

Stiles beams, “Yeah, you remember me!”

**********

Author: crossroadswrite

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[nightswithkookmin]

RE: JUNGKOOK CHANGED IN RUN

Anon:

Why did Jungkook not want to be on Jimin's team in the last run episode? He has changed a lot from before. Thoughts.

My first thought is, you don't gotta interpret everything in a negative light.

Not every strong reaction is a bad reaction.

I'd be a phony ass fraud if I sat here and told you with my two thumbs that I didn't raise a brow at that moment. I did.

Especially when you contrast that episode with run 112 which falls on all fours with this current situation- ok may not all fours.

But in that video, like many others, RM had suggested they form teams based on the sunglasses they wore, just as he had suggested they form teams based on the seating arrangements.

Of course he'd meant it as a Joke just as we discussed in a previous blog post. Personally, I expected they make a draw, rock papers or even dance in circles like they did in the other episode to decide who got who in the competition.

But it seems in all the times he's been paired with JM he's been supper thrilled about it. He even warned the members not to underestimate him and JM when they'd unanimously concluded they were the disadvantaged team in the game- Jin not even bothering to ask them what their scores were on Korean.

He reset the timer to 10 seconds when Jk pointed out he wasn't good at reading fast

When the time stopped and they were asked to make a team of four, he turned to find JM almost immediately as if to make sure JM was part of the four, he held on to his arm to prevent RM from breaking the link.

He was supposed to pair with Yoongi and Jimin with Tae but he didn't even try to find Suga. At least V did try to find Jimin. He moved towards JM and when he realized JK was hugging him he went for Suga.

Throughout the episode he was giving JM tips on how to cheat and shot when he wasn't sure of the answers.

Yet in the last run, he didn't seem as enthusiastic about being paired with JM- or so, he'd have us believe. Smirk.

He ain't slick. Lol.

To me he seemed, on the surface of it, either really salty about the others having Jin or RM on their teams or upon reflection, just plain ass overcompensating for something.

I'd go with the later.

It's similar to how, Jimin got the Sauna card and he'd complained about not liking the Sauna but then swapped cards with Tae so he could be on JM's team.

Or how he'd make a theatrical show of wanting to win a competition but smirk satisfactorily to himself when he loses.

I really don't think it's a big deal.

Personally, I love watching them paired up and doing such activities. It's a great way to see how they work together as partners and as a team.

It's also a great way for them to spend time with eachother, enjoy eachother, nurture their bond and strengthen their relationship.

Fanservice or not, scripted or not, you cannot deny that spending time together doing activities together is good for building a relationship.

They spend a considerable about of time together off cameras but a lot of their time is spent on cameras and at work.

They gotta find a way to make their relationship work on the work as I keep saying. All that 'fanservice' people say they are doing? That's them making it work. They gotta find a way to go on dates, feed eachother, hold each other's hands, tell Jokes, laugh at eachother's jokes, express their attraction for each other, flirt, share eachother's interests and do things couples do without inviting public scrutiny to their every interaction and invasion of their privacy.

So where they see an opportunity they go for it. For JK it's the the little decisions he makes on their behalf like choosing where they will sleep, what activities they can do together, wanting the bigger room, making sure JM wins the presidential suite, or choosing a room detached from the other rooms.

He invests in his relationship the best way he can. Same goes for Jimin.

I keep saying this whole fanservice culture is a win win situation for them- for even any queer idol couple in the same band.

What seem like a challenge could technically be an opportunity for a date for them without dispatch breathing down their necks.

A typical example would be this. Jimin said he wanted to go get Yoga with the others but ended up going with YoonKook on their brewery excursion.

The more time they spend together, on and off cameras the more closer they get and the more they get to know eachother on a deeper level.

But you have to bare in mind, they need their personal spaces too in order for their relationship to function properly.

Jimin used can be very needy in his relationship but for the most part he enjoys his independence too.

Jk has always had a strong sense of independence but he can equally be quote needy and over attached once he is in a relationship- especially when things are going great for him.

Spending time apart, persuing personal goals and interest is good for them.

If it helps, think of moments when they hang around eachother as Jikook dates and when they hang quietly in the background of videos do think of those as them having their me times at work...

Would they miss an opportunity to 'date' or hang privately with eachother? I don't think so.

It's in their dicks interests and the interest of whole production team and crew to allow them to be around eachother as often and as much as they want and can.

I for one, I'm not prepared to sit through yet another excruciating episode of Jungkook wanting Jimin- physically and emotionally. I'm still dealing with the PTSD from the last BonV four episodes.

Y'all buy me Ko-fi please. I don't intend to sit through that shit sober.

If Jk is pushing to be on JM's team and what not it's mostly because he feels he needs to spend more time with him. If he's not pushing for that it just means he or they are both allowing for space and room in their relationship for eachother to pursue other activities and interests or even connect with other members- unless of course they are having relationship problems which I don't think is the case.

Jimin is particularly good at this.

He goes out of his way to nurture his relationship with the others even on set.

He does this especially with Tae.

He'd take Tae to go see places he and JK had already been to, he'd request to take pirate rides with Tae- even though JK is available and won't hesitate to let him know, he often make plans involving Tae or even the others- in Soop when Tae asked him to go ride around the town with him he chose to stay and manspread on Jin and Yoongi. *I'm cackling. Lmho.

Jimin is a funny guy.

Now does this mean he doesn't like spending time with Tae or that he's changed? Hell no.

Hell, Tae does the same thing from time to time too. I mean when he found out he had picked a Sauna card he asked to swap it knowing very well Jimin had picked that card too. Soulmates coulda soulmated that shit in hot piles of steamy.

Sure JK lurks around sometimes. He is the resident intruder stepping on Jimin's other ships' neck. Love him for this. Lol.

Perfect Disney villian.

Tae had to drag his ass away from the kitchen for intruding when he and JM were cooking in the Kitchen. Let's not talk about him physically removing him from JM's car or all the times he's complained about JK raining on his Vmin agenda.

When V wanted to be on a team with JM this man literally sabotaged him, hugging Jimin first. It's his laughter afterwards for me. Lmho.

V needs to insure his Jimin cos at this point it's trademark infringement. Hashtag soulmates. Lololol.

Jk needs to go ahead and free Vmin.

But JM does this too, in much more subtle ways- I'll never forget the look he had on his face when he had to get off the bus and walk home as punishment. It was the most heart breaking thing I ever seen.

Then he had to hang off Hobi to get JK to leave his friends and come to him.

It's why I used an ellipsis the last time I talked about Jimin being very mature now. Old Jimin would have, clapped back, made JK pay for that outburst if he genuinely thought JK meant what he said or believed JK really wanted to be on a team with someone else.

Y'all don't see him when JK compliments other people? He stays kicking his feet under the table🤣🤣🤣🤣

I used to pinch a gurl I liked when other gals talked to her when I was little- In my defense, I didn't even know I liked her or that it was straight up abuse💀

Jimin can be pretty scary and petty when he's mad or offended.

If it helps you sleep at might, think of this moment as just another one of those 'we've been a unit for so long do you wanna be with someone else now' scene from February last year.

Jk answered yes when JM asked him that. But do you really think he meant it?

Jikook is complex, not complicated.

They love eachother.

We can't be looking at their interactions as either or. Grey areas exist and it's not a negative thing.

Signed,

GOLDY

[artificialqueens]

How Far I'll Go Chapter Six (Ninex) - Mia Ugly, Meggie

A/N: We’re baaaaack! Hi hello how are you? LIFE is crazy. We’re so sorry it took so long to get this chapter to you guys, but honestly, Snatch Game was probably the hardest thing we’ve written. It’s hard to be funny. I’m going to be way nicer to queens who do badly on Snatch Game from here on out because it’s not easy, mama. Anyway. We hope you enjoy this SUPER MEGA SIZED CHAPTER (10.5k!) to make up for the super long hiatus. And hopefully we’ll be back with more very soon. Come visit us on our blogs: @mia-ugly and @artificialmeggie

Previously: The runway was purple, but Blair’s Scarlett O'Hara realness wasn’t enough to save a poor performance and she was sent packing. Brooke and Vanjie are (most definitely) probably still messing around, and Nina and Monet had a moment backstage when Nina narrowly avoided elimination. Or was it a moment? Oh, and Nina’s probably losing his mind.

To come: Katya, Snatch Game, a hotel bar date, and a musical number.

Nina wakes up and is still on Drag Race.

He might be having some kind of a nervous breakdown (and breaking into song periodically) but that’s showbiz, kid.

And now it’s time for the fucking Snatch Game.

Shower, shave, dress.

Prepare for another sloppy Branjie moment in the elevator (and thank God, Nina gets to avoid that for a change). Nina Bo’nina is riding down alone, and the two of them chat distractedly on their way to the conference room.

A few of the mentors are there, but no Monét and no Trixie.

Nina tries not to let that bother him as he nibbles his toast and drinks his coffee. He’s focused this morning, ready for whatever happens next. He’s been thinking about Snatch Game since the moment he got the All Stars call, is determined that this is going to be his challenge (of course, he might have had that thought about the last challenge too… No, nope, move the hell on, girl.)

Nina doesn’t see Brooke until they film the Werk Room entrance. The man looks exhausted. There are circles under his eyes that the makeup guy has done his best to cover, but it’s still obvious Brooke is not at his best. It makes Nina remember that - no matter how stupid the Canadian is being about Vanjie (and no matter what sort of history he has with Nina’s equally stupid heart), Nina still loves him. Will probably always love him in some kind of way.

“No coffee this morning?” he asks quietly as they’re waiting to get mic’d.

“Not enough.” Brooke pulls down his hideous knitted beanie (where the hell does he keep getting those? A P.A. should - frankly - take them away.)

“Have a late night?” Nina doesn’t really want to know, but if Brooke needs to talk about it -

“Oh no. No. Just - thinking.” He rolls his neck. “Like - we know what’s coming up, right? And last season - it wasn’t my best look.”

Nina barks out a an embarrassingly loud laugh. “No kidding.”

“You didn’t have to find it that funny.”

“It’s pretty funny.”

“You’re a dick, you know that? No matter how sweet Monét thinks you are.”

This makes Nina stop laughing. “Sorry - what?”

“He was just going on about you when he was watching Asia film our scene last episode. Like - ‘try this, Nina does this, blah blah.’”

Nina doesn’t know what to think about that. It makes him feel a bit warm and light-headed, but absolutely incapable of responding.

“Clearly you’ve got her fooled. I know what you’re really like.”

“Haha, yeah.” Nina’s voice is weak and he hopes to God Brooke doesn’t immediately clock his blush. Luckily, Vanjie chooses that moment to start flirting with the sound guy, and Brooke’s attention is suddenly elsewhere. Yes, yes, that’s good. Nina will have to keep Vanjie close by at all times, just in case he needs to distract Brooke.

They all romp into the Werk Room together, Shea and Asia working their few seconds in the doorway for all it’s worth (“pose for me, pose for me, POSE”). They talk a bit about Blair going home, but before they can say much about it there’s the sound of a video message, and the television flickers to life.

“Ladies,” Ru’s face comes onto the screen. “I picked you queens for All Stars because you represent the best of the best. But on second thought… I think I’d like to see some other queens in your place. Sorry, not sorry.”

The video ends.

“What the hell does that mean?” Shea asks.

“Nah, nah.” Vanjie is shaking his head in denial. “We don’t need no more hos up in here. We got too many of y’all already.”

“Hello, hello, hello!” The door opens and Ru comes into the Werk Room, followed by the mentors. Nina tries to smile and look as excited to see Ru as he’s always supposed to be, but - he can’t help being worried about whatever the hell twist is coming up. (Monét winks at him as he comes in, so that’s something. Nina will keep that one brief moment like a diamond in his pocket.)

“Ladies, for this week’s maxi challenge, it’s time for another All Star Edition of Snatch Game!”

Most of the queens around Nina are delighted - except Brooke. Nina can see him smiling, but it’s fragile and fake, and his arms are folded very tightly around himself, legs crossed at the thigh even though he’s standing; a clear indication he’s stressing.

“This time, however, to celebrate my recent single ‘Queens Everywhere’— available now on iTunes—we’re going to do things a little bit differently. I know you’re all amazing queens, but for this Snatch Game, I’d like to see if you have any other queens inside you.” Ru raises a suggestive eyebrow. “Not to give Miss Vanjie an unfair advantage.”

Vanjie’s jaw drops even as he laughs, mutters “shade” through his perfect teeth.

“For this Snatch Game, I’m asking you to channel one of your sisters. We’ve had a lot of iconic queens on this series, so you’ll have plenty of personalities to choose from. And luckily you’ve got some experts here for inspiration. Hashtag Snatch Game All Stars. Gentleman, start your engines. And may the best All Star… win!”

“The fuck?” Vanjie whispers to Nina as soon as Ru leaves. “Bitch, I had a damn plan. I brought the little gold trophies and everything. Watched all the fucking movies. Now I got to be one of y’all’s tired asses? That ain’t fair.”

“Trophies, like - you mean Oscars?”

“Sure, whatever.”

Nina has to admit that he’s kinda thrilled about this twist. He’d been telling anyone who will listen who he was going to be for the Snatch Game if he ever got another chance. He’d had a couple back-ups, of course (they’d all been told to bring a former queen, so honestly, they should have seen this coming from a mile away), but this really couldn’t have gone better for him.

He feels bad for some of the other queens though, especially Vanessa (the bitch was prepped to do Meryl Streep - Brooke’s idea, and a fucking hilarious one. He’d kill to see it).

“X-Queens assemble,” Monét calls over at him, and Nina pats Vanjie on the shoulder, goes off to sit with Monét and Asia.

Monét looks good. Real good. He’s in some loud patterned sweatshirt that has tiny slices of pizza all over it, and another pair of thick-rimmed glasses (white, or maybe baby pink?), and he’s smiling at Nina like - no, nope. Move along.

“It’s actually the Avengers that assemble,” Asia tells Monét, who rolls his eyes at her.

“Girl, you can’t be a bigger nerd than me. I won’t accept it.”

“Yeah, ‘cause knowing about the Avengers is real obscure, serious fan-only shit.”

“The shade, Miss Asia! Nina West, are you going to defend your mentor?”

Nina holds his hands up. “You’re the fearless leader, you got this.”

“The pair of you.” Monét shakes his head. “All right, what you got for Snatch Game?”

“I’ma be Brown Cow Stun-ning, yes, honey.” Asia pops her tongue after a pretty admirable impression of Monique Heart.

“And Miss Nina West?” Monét is looking at him with an eyebrow raised. Nina wonders if he’s heard the interviews, if he already knows.

“Miss Vaaaanjie,” Nina says, “Bitch, you know I don’t play games. Don’t play Monopology, Uno, Twistah, Tag, Marbles -”

“Jesus Christ, stop it.” Monét is covering his face with his hands, while Asia is cackling. “Does she know?”

“Not yet.”

“She will live. Okay, okay, I ain’t worried about either of you. Take me straight to the finale, win me that serious mentor coin.”

They run through a couple ideas for jokes, focusing more on Asia (who struggled last time and still has a bit of anxiety flaring behind her contacts). There’s a break for lunch, but it’s weirdly quiet, subdued. Snatch Game is an opportunity to stand out, to prove you deserve to be there. It’s also an opportunity to crash and burn in front of Ru, the judges, and later on - the world. So there’s that.

After lunch everyone starts putting on their paint, fixing their wigs. The cameras zoom in to get some Werk Room chatter about who is playing who, and of course they’re all dying for Vanessa’s reaction (as soon as he sees Nina pull out his pink-petalled Barbie-head dress from its garment bag, the pussycat’s out of the Prada bag).

“Noooo, bitch,” Vanjie shouts across the room, but he’s smiling. “Oh, I’mma have to whup your ass if that’s what I think it is.”

“Deuces!” Nina shouts back at him, throwing up the sign as well, while Brooke covers his face.

“That ain’t right, it ain’t right. Thought we was friends, sis.” Vanjie is laughing about it, though; Nina knows they’re cool.

“Who are you playing, Miss Shea Coulée?” Asia calls over to her sister, who is fussing with a nasty looking green wig.

“Paaaarty…” Shea drags out the word, working that vocal fry for all she’s worth. “I’m going to be Adore Delano, darling.”

Nina Bo’nina Brown thinks this is the funniest thing she’s ever heard, can’t speak for laughing so hard. Shea seems entertained by it at first, but her smile starts to tighten a little after the laughter continues a bit too long.

“What’s so funny?”

“Nothing, nothing. Just - good luck, girl.”

“Who are you doing then?”

“Yeah,” Cracker interjects. “You were Jasmine Masters for your season’s Snatch Game right? The judges loved it.”

“Right. So why mess with perfection? I’m going to do Miss Jasmine Masters.”

A couple of the girls stop what they’re doing when she says this.

“You’re going to play the same queen?” Cracker repeats, a bit shocked.

“Yeah. I was sickening last time, I’ll be sickening this time.”

“Aren’t you worried that they’ll read you for not showing them what else you can do?”

“Nah. They’re gonna be laughing too hard.”

“Mmmm…” Vanjie makes a low, skeptical noise.

“Trust and believe, Vanjie,” Nina B. calls over to her. “Trust and believe.”

The cameras have to reset then to film Ru’s entrance into the Werk Room, and catch all the queens’ “surprised” reactions.

“Hello hello hello, kitty girls!”

Nina beams, claps his hands, that whole production. He’s feeling pretty good though - the energy is real. He’s actually excited for this challenge, ready to show Ru what he can do. (That’s how he felt last year too, then Silky went and yanked the win right out from under him. But no time to dwell on that now.)

“How are my All Stars? I thought I’d take a little look-see at what you were planning for us. And I brought along one of our extra special guest judges to help me out.”

From behind Ru, Katya Zamolodchikova comes in waving and smiling, teeth glowing white against her red lipstick.

“Oh my god! Get your own thing!” Trixie yells from across the room, and Katya does that ridiculous/adorable silent laugh that Nina has seen on “UNHhhh” too many times to count.

“Thanks for coming, Katya!” Ru says cheerfully.

“No problem, Ru. Thanks for unlocking the attic door!”

“Well, it was a special occasion. And I was feeling generous.”

They go from station to station, cameras following them around silently, and Nina fusses a bit with his dress while eavesdropping on their conversations with the other queens. There is a bit of concern for Brooke, who’s playing Detox (no big surprise there). How is Brooke going to make Detox funny seems to be the main issue. Nina has the same question. Brooke seems more confident than last season, though, so Ru and Katya wish him luck.

There’s some controversy over Nina Bo’nina playing Jasmine again, but the girl won’t be convinced to try something else. Nina listens to some of the critiques, ignores some of the others. He’s interested, but he also knows he needs to focus on his own performance, and not get in his head. He’s not as bad as Brooke at over-thinking things, but no one goes into goddamn musical theatre who isn’t at least a little bit destroyed (psychologically speaking. Okay, maybe also a bit romantically. It’s fine).

“Nina West!” Ru says close to Nina’s ear, and he almost jumps a foot in the air. (Girl, Katya is standing four feet away from you, be cool, be cool.)

“Hello, hello, hello Christine,” he says, immediately launching into his Vanjie impression. Both Ru and Katya laugh - and Katya’s smile up close is completely unfair, like a smile cut out of paper, perfect and sharp-edged.

(“I don’t know her!” Vanjie shouts from across the room.)

“So who are you going to be?” Katya asks, completely straight-faced, as soon as she and Ru have stopped laughing.

“I don’t know, still making up my mind,” Nina says, back in his normal voice.

“And the uh -” Ru gestures to the hideous floral Barbie dress, “gown?”

“Do you like it? One of my best gowns. What’s funny?”

Katya is wheeze-laughing. Katya is wheeze-laughing because of something Nina said! He stores that one next to the Monét gem from earlier; hopes to have enough for his own tiara in the unthinkable event that he doesn’t win.

“Now on Season 11’s Snatch Game, you were hilarious, you played -”

“Harvey Fierstein and Jo Anne Worley-”

“Yes! And really, it might have been one of the strongest performances in Snatch Game herstory.”

Nina smiles gratefully (only slightly furious that Ru’s saying this despite the fact that Nina didn’t win. He deserved to win).

“So how can you possibly outdo yourself this time?”

“I’m not trying to outdo myself, I’m trying to do something different. Like Katya, when you played Björk -”

“Yes, yes, back to me,” Katya says, nodding.

“Completely different from Suze Orman, but still so funny. That’s what I’m going to do. Just - mix it up.”

“All right, Nina, good luck. Can’t wait to see it,” Ru says, moving on.

It’s fine. It’ll be fine.

As soon as Ru and Katya leave the Werk Room it’s a mad dash to get dressed and made up and before Nina knows it, before he can light a bunch of candles on an altar and find whatever religion will bring him the most luck, they’re all being rounded up and led into the studio for the Snatch Game.

Okay.

Okay.

Brooke’s Detox look is iconic, the yellow and black striped bandage dress from the Season 5 premiere (probably borrowed from Detox herself) hugs his perfectly padded body, but he’s absolutely trembling as he walks beside Nina. Nina has to squeeze his shoulder, tell him it’ll be fine.

“It’s fun, Brooke. Just have fun with it,” he murmurs as he hits the bright studio lights, has to blink until his vision adjusts (the first thing he sees is Monét and Nina’s blinded by him).

Okay.

The mentors are sitting along the sidelines, ready to watch the show play out. Nina wasn’t expecting that, but it’s - fine. Monét smiles at him, and Nina’s going to use that smile as a good luck charm - a rabbit’s foot, a four leaf clover, whatever. It’s impossible not to feel lucky when someone who looks like Monét goddamn X Change smiles at you like that.

“Welcome to the first All Stars ‘Queens Everywhere’ Snatch Game!” Ru says after they’re all mic’d and seated, upbeat music playing behind him. “Let’s meet our contestants.”

Katya beams from where she’s sitting behind her glittery podium and microphone.

“It’s everyone’s favorite queen that we found digging in the dumpster outside - Katya!”

“And yet I’m still hungry!”

Katya smiles at Ru and then snaps her teeth at the other queens.

“And - just when you thought we’d finally seen the last of her - halleloo! It’s Shangela!”

Shangela raises one hand in the air, nodding seriously. “That’s right, I’m back again, bitches. And I ain’t even in a box this time, baby.”

“Ladies, are you ready to meet the queens?”

“Yaaaaaaaaaas,” they answer in tandem.

They reset so that Ru can film the introductions, and Nina’s heart starts rattling like bones in a bag. He’s buzzing with adrenaline and nerves, but he’s going to channel that into a goddamn win. That’s right, he tells his inner saboteur - you can fuck off. This challenge is mine.

“The heart of Season 10 - Monique Heart is here!” Ru starts with Asia, whose Monique look is extremely correct.

“Hello world! Hello America! Are you brown cow stunning?” She tosses Ru a ridiculous cow-patterned baseball cap. Ru briefly feigns excitement before throwing it over his shoulder in distaste.

“Burn that,” he murmurs to one of the camera crew. “Next up, we have the original party-queen - Adore Delano!”

Shea Coulee stretches her arms in the air before making a peace sign, growling “Party,” in a gravelly voice.

“How are you doing Adore?”

“I mean, I’m good, you know? Like. Excited to be back. Where am I again?”

Nina has to turn his mouth into his shoulder to stifle the laugh that bubbles to his throat immediately. He wasn’t sold on it when they were discussing it in the Werk Room, but Shea is killing it as Adore. Her voice, her delivery is hilarious. The makeup is flawless. Her perpetual open mouth is complete perfection. As always, Shea Coulee is slaying the competition. Nina’s stomach gives a nervous jolt, so he sucks in a deep breath and reminds himself to pay attention.

He realizes he’s missed Ivy’s introduction, but Katya is gagged at the illusion of, well - Her - that Ivy is turning today. A mid-length honey blonde wig barely brushes Ivy’s shoulders and her red bustier is covered in rhinestones (and, of course, the scythe and hammer.) The look is great. The accent, on the other hand… Nina sighs a little, but tries not to get comfortable, regardless of how terrible Ivy’s Russian accent is.

Vanjie is seated at the end of the top row, decked out in red lace, a large pair of dark sunglasses balanced precariously on her nose. There’s no denying the air about her: Miss Vanjie is living Miss Valentina’s French vanilla fantasy, and no one could doubt it.

Ru beams at him. “Valentina! How wonderful to see you again!”

Vanjie draws in a deep breath. “That’s right, Ru, it’s me - Valentina. I’m back, and this time, I just want you to know, I fully learned all the words to ‘Greedy.’”

“Excellent! You want to sing us a verse right now?”

“No,” Vanjie answers, extremely primly, and even in his gravelly voice, the delivery is enough to make Ru laugh.

“Maybe next time.”

“Probably not.”

Then Ru’s looking at Nina and - oh, god, why did he think coming back for All Stars was a good idea again?

“Miss Vaaaaaanjie is here!” Ru trills.

Nina sucks in a deep breath and - “What’s the grease, mama?”

Down the row, Brooke buries his face in his hands, but his shoulders bounce with laughter. Ru is giggling loudly. Even Katya and Shangela are agape at the spot-on impression like it’s the first time he’s done it, the first time they’ve heard it.

He lets himself relax a little.

“Three seasons in a row.” Ru consults his cue cards. “Girl, aren’t you tired of competing yet?”

“Mmhmm.” Nina shakes his head vehemently, the wig he pilfered from Vanjie weeks ago flying around his shoulders. (He really does owe Brooke one for that.) “Nah, girl, you know I’m still trying to get my own show. Like Vanjie of Love or some shit like that. You know, something where these triflin’ hos gotta pay me some damn attention.”

In his periphery, Nina catches Brooke cut his eyes to him. He hopes this is okay. They haven’t really discussed the Branjie territory in regards to his jokes, but he kind of assumed it was fair game. Besides, he isn’t planning on directly hurting anyone’s feelings. He’ll keep it light, keep it fun. Besides, they’re the ones who marketed their portmanteau and gave the profits to charity. It’s practically public domain at this point.

“Next up we’ve got - oh my goodness, it’s Jasmine Masters!”

Nina Bo’nina gives Ru an extremely “over it” look. “Yeah, and I got something to say.”

“Now Jasmine - no tea, no shade, but haven’t you been on Snatch Game before?”

There’s a bit of an awkward pause before Nina Bo’nina waves him away.

“Bitch, I’ve got something more to say.”

Ru chuckles a bit, “I bet you do,” and moves on to Brooke.

“Another former All Star contestant, welcome Detox!”

Brooke looks sullen and concerned. He gives a little nod at Ru and the contestants.

“Detox, what’s the matter? You don’t look happy to be here.”

“Oh, am I not smiling?” Brooke asks through his extremely full, painted-on lips. “I can’t feel anything above my neck.” He shapes his mouth into a grotesque smile using his hands, and Ru almost doubles over. Okay, okay. Nina feels a little less worried about Brooke.

“And last but not least, we have - um, Aquaria! Hey girl!”

“Hi Ru!”

“Aquaria, is that the new way you’re spelling your name?” Cracker has written Acwareea on her name-card. A couple letters are backwards.

“Huh?” Cracker looks down at the name card. “Oh, I can’t spell my name. Actually, I can’t spell anything.”

“Okay then.”

“You know, some girls chose to read books, I chose to turn looks.”

“Yeah, you did! Now let’s get ready to play the Snatch Game!”

They break for a few adjustments on the cameras and microphones, and Nina tries not to hyperventilate, and then fuck - they’re rolling again.

“Here we go. The first question is for Katya. Katya, All Stars Season 1 paved the way, and brought back some of the most celebrated queens of all time to compete. This time, instead of competing in pairs, the queens are competing in BLANK.”

Be funny, be funny, be fucking funny. Nina tries to think like Vanjie and writes down an answer as soon as he’s got one, hoping it will be good enough.

“Okay, pens down. Katya?”

“I said competing in traction.”

“In - traction?”

“Yeah, you know, when all the bones in your body are broken and you’re in the hospital bed with your leg in the air.”

“That would certainly be a different kind of competition.”

“I’d watch it,” Katya says seriously, and Ru laughs.

“Let’s go to the Queens and see if we have any matches. Miss Valentina. What did you write down?”

Vanjie has put a lace mask on over the bottom of her face. She mumbles something indecipherable.

“What was that?” Ru asks. Vanjie mumbles something again.

“Valentina,” Ru says, clearly picking up on the joke. “Take that thing off your face.”

“I’d like to keep it on please.”

Ru shakes his head slowly, and at last Vanjie removes her mask.

“Now, Valentina. What did you write?”

Vanjie flips her card over, and Ru starts to wheeze with laughter. “That’s what I wrote down. I’d like to keep it on please.“

Vanjie’s Valentina voice is slipping, but she’s hella charming anyway, as always.

“I’m sorry, my dear, but that is not a match. Moving on to Aquaria - oh! You’ve got a new outfit.”

Miz Cracker was scrambling to put on a new wig and geometric headpiece made of iPhones while Ru was speaking to the contestants. She looks great, and she’s killing Aquaria’s affected head wobble.

“This season the queens are competing in BLANK.”

Cracker flips her card to reveal Aquaria’s instagram URL. “I wasn’t born when All Stars Season 1 aired, so I just wrote this.”

“Oh, okay - not a match.”

“I’m young,” Cracker insists, and Ru nods, patiently.

“We all were once. What did Miss Vaaaaanjie have to say?”

“I said we’d have to compete in swimsuits,” Nina says, flipping over his card.

“Swimsuits?”

“Yeah. Cause maybe then Michelle won’t read my ass for filth every damn week.”

Ru gapes at him, like he can’t believe he just came for Michelle in Snatch Game.

“Swimsuits be glamor when everybody else is doing them too, bitch!” Nina pops his tongue.

Ru laughs, high and clear, and then turns to the other Nina. “What about you, Jasmine? What do you have to say?”

Nina Bo’nina slaps her hands on the table and purses her lips. “We gonna be competing in making viral videos to get Justin Bieber’s attention, Ru.”

The room — pauses while Ru tries to save face with a polite chuckle. Nina West can practically hear the shade rattle sound effect that will inevitably be edited in at this exact moment.

Jasmine Masters probably wasn’t Nina Bo’nina’s best option (anyone could have told her that and, good god girl, they really tried). It’s not working. Nina doesn’t think any of it’s working.

Ru clears his throat, shakes his head. “I’m certain you could teach them a thing or two about that, but unfortunately, it’s not a match.”

Nina Bo’nina shrugs.

Ru shuffles his cue cards and moves on. “This next question is for Shangela. In All Stars Season 2, we changed things up by letting the queens choose who would be eliminated. This season, as well as eliminating each other, the queens will have to BLANK each other.”

There’s the scribbling of markers from the queens around Nina (who like to think he’s got this answer down blind.)

“Okay, pens down. Shangela? This season, the queens will also have to…”

“I knew what y’all were looking for, because y’all are nasty…” Shangela turns her card around. “But I’m a lady, so I said they’d have to ‘tuck’ each other.”

“Tuck each other!”

“Sometimes a girl needs a helping hand, mama.”

“Ain’t that the truth. Let’s see if we have any matches! Katya, what did you say?”

Ivy looks a bit startled to be called on first, but she beams with her red lips, flips her card over. “I said eat each other. To consume each other’s power and fill the gaping void that lives -” She pats her chest. “Right here.”

Katya (the real Katya) shrieks, but Ru shakes his head.

“I’m sorry, that’s not a match.”

“Da,” Ivy says solemnly, in her terrible Russian accent. “Da. It never is match. Like me and Trixie. Match but… No match.”

And, okay, Nina might imagine it, but it seems like the studio goes eerily quiet as everyone waits for Trixie’s reaction. She’s smiling, but it looks forced. Katya clears her throat but laughs, which seems to dispel the weird tension that formed.

Ru, oblivious to the entire thing, moves on. “Miss Vaaaanjie, what did you say?”

Nina sighs and flips his card, feeling pretty pleased with himself. “I said date each other. You know, I still be lookin’ for that Notebook shit.”

“Oh yeah, we know. No more Post-Its, right?”

“No more Post-Its, never again. I ain’t got the time, Mary!” He glances over at Brooke, raises his eyebrows seductively. “Hey, how you doin’?” Behind him, the real Vanjie mumbles something under his breath.

“I’m sorry, my dear, that’s not a match.”

“Bitch, it might be!” Nina says, still looking at Brooke, and Ru bends over laughing, stomping his foot into the ground. It’s adrenaline, it’s power, it’s like Nina knows this challenge is his.

“You ain’t even know!” he continues, channeling angry Vanessa as much as possible. “Just ‘cause one tall blonde bitch did me wrong don’t mean they all will. Shit.” Nina crosses his arms over his chest, leans back in his chair, sees Brooke duck his head and blink rapidly a few times.

That might have been too much. He just got caught in the moment and… Fuck. Dial it back a little, but stay focused.

“Moving on to Aquaria,” Ru says. Aquaria, this season the queens will have to BLANK each other.”

“I said ‘copy each other,” Cracker says tightly, in Aquaria’s low voice. “And it’s too bad Miz Cracker isn’t here. Maybe then she would have won something.”

“Oho!” Ru laughs, a bit scandalized. “Not a match, my dear.”

Cracker shrugs and throws the card over her shoulder. “Someone save that so I can call and ask Cracker if she wants more of my sloppy seconds.”

“Adore Delanoooo!” Ru trills the last syllable as he turns to Shea, who tosses the long green waves over her shoulder.

She flashes Ru one of Adore’s signature winking, mouth-open, tongue-out smiles with a peace sign.

“What did you write down, darling?”

“I said ‘party with each other,’” Shea drawls in Adore’s affected tone, adding more fry than is entirely necessary, but it gets the point across. She’s goofy and perfect.

“Party with each other,” Ru repeats.

“Yeah! I mean, you guys all look super cool. I’d hang out with you, smoke a blunt, eat some pizza. You know, party!”

Ru tsks. “Sounds like a great Tuesday night, but unfortunately not a match.” He turns to face the contestants, where Katya is sitting with her hands folded primly on her stack of cards. “Back to Katya! In All Stars Season 3, BenDeLaCreme shocked the judges by sending herself home. This season, Michelle Visage will shock everyone by BLANKING herself.”

Katya takes a minute to ponder, pressing her index finger to her lips then writes something on her card. Nina and the other queens follow suit, and when their time is up, Katya is smiling ferociously.

“Let’s see what our contestant put down. Katya?” Ru faces her. “Michelle Visage will shock everyone by doing what?”

Katya clears her throat. “I could have gone the obvious route, you know.”

“Obviously,” Ru says.

“Instead, I said, ‘sacrificing herself.’”

“Sacrificing herself?”

“With fire. To the Gods, honey.”

“Okay… Any particular God?”

“…Satan.”

“Of course. Let’s go to our queens. Detox, this season Michelle Visage will shock everyone by…”

Brooke flips his card over. “I said motorboating herself. I mean, if anyone could do it -”

“I don’t know how shocking that would be… but either way, I’m sorry, not a match. Vanessa Vanjie Mateo! What did you say, my dear?”

Nina flips over his card. “I said cloning herself.”

“Cloning herself?”

“Mmm-hmm. Need two of her to manage your ass.”

Ru laughs, and Nina thanks every God he knows the name of. The burn landed!

“And now she got that done, she’s gonna clone me some Canadian bacon.”

“Is that right?”

“Hell yeah it is.” Nina does not look at Brooke or Vanjie. “But only the good parts, baby. Trim all the fat; I’m a growing girl, need more protein in my diet.”

“Bitch, you couldn’t handle that much protein,” Vanjie-as-Valentina cuts in, and Ru fans himself.

“A controversial question! Let’s go to Monique Heart, see what she said. Michelle Visage will shock everyone by…”

“I said believing in herself.” Asia-as-Monique-turns her face to the camera. “Like I believe in myself, America. And that’s why I’d like to take this moment to announce my run for office.”

“Which office is that?”

“Whichever.” Asia’s got Monique’s flighty passion down perfectly. “One of the big ones, you know. And thank you, America, for your trust. I won’t let you down.”

Ru reads the last question of the night. “In All Stars Season 4, history was made when we celebrated the first Drag Race double crowning. This season, we’ll be making history with a double BLANK.”

Shangela is already shaking her head knowingly. There’s a scrabble of writing from the queens.

“Ladies, pens down. Shangela?”

“I’m giving the people what they want, Ru. I ain’t proud. I had to say a double fisting.”

“Did you really have to say it though?”

“Actually, mama, I did. The PAs have my children.”

“Ha! All right ladies, let’s see if we have any matches. Adore Delano. This season we’ll be making history with the first double BLANK.”

Shea holds up her card proudly. “I said the first double… elimination.”

Ru is quiet for a moment. “That’s actually been done before.”

“It has?”

“A couple of times, actually.”

“Oh.” Shea is unfazed. “Well. I don’t watch the show.”

Ru wheeze laughs, and so does Nina.

“I mean, I don’t know who any of you people are.”

“Sorry, Adore. Not a match.”

Shea shrugs, flashes a peace sign.

“What about you Katya?” Ru moves over to Ivy.

“Well, I thought about what Trixie and I like to do behind the scenes of ‘UNHhhh’ and I just had to put - fisting!” She flips her card.

“It’s a match!” Ru exclaims.

Everyone is laughing, but Nina can’t help check out the subjects of Ivy’s joke. The real Katya Zamo is smiling but - her teeth look clenched. And over with the mentors, Trixie Mattel is not smiling at all. She’s staring at her hands in her lap, systematically picking at the baby pink polish that adorns her fingernails. Hopefully none of the cameras pick up on that.

“I’ll see you later tonight!” Ivy continues, pointing at Trixie. There’s a halfway amused smile on Trixie’s face right away, but Nina feels like he was punched in the stomach. Something’s going on between the two of them, clearly. It hurts to watch - not like watching Vanjie and Brooke hurts (that’s more like watching two attractive bricks smash together). But Trixie and Katya - there’s so much history there. So much darkness. And God knows enough people have been convinced they’re in love -

“Monique Heart, what did you put down? This season we’ll be making history with the first double BLANK.”

“I said the first double crowning, dahling.”

“I’m sorry Monique, we already did that as well.”

“I know y’all did it, but I feel like it didn’t really count because my ass wasn’t wearing one of those crowns. It should have been me, and that’s a fact, America. And facts are - what? Facts.”

Ru laughs for a moment before turning to Nina. “What about Miss Vaaaanjie?”

“I said the first double wedding. And before y’all even ask: I do.” Nina glances over at Brooke, hoping he isn’t hitting this note a bit too hard.

“You do? Who’s the other happy couple?”

Ivy interrupts before Nina can answer. “Trixie! I’ve been meaning to ask you!”

“Oh honey,” Trixie calls out, looking flushed and uncomfortable. “I know I said I’d give more to charity this year, honey, but my generosity has limits.”

Behind her podium, Katya’s face is absolutely expressionless.

“Well, queens, we’re out of time,” Ru announces. “Which means the winner is… Xanax! Talk to your pharmacist. See you next time on the Snatch Game!”

Nina throws ‘deuces’ at the cameras as they get some closing B-roll, keeping up his Vanjie-persona until the very end. As soon as the director yells “cut!” Nina lets out the breath he’s been holding for the past two hours. God, it went by fast, but now he’s feeling every second of it. His muscles ache like he ran a marathon this morning and then tried kick-boxing for the first time.

“Nice work, ladies,” P.A.’s are congratulating them as they leave the set, but Nina barely hears a word. He de-drags, does some of the talking head interviews he loves so much (has to look shady about Nina B.’s performance, and worried about Brooke. Nina doesn’t put on an act or anything - he is kinda worried about Brooke. Brooke did ‘okay’ - better than Celine for sure - but didn’t stand out the way some of the other queens did. And if Brooke goes home tomorrow night - fuck. Nina doesn’t quite know how he feels about that).

Brooke was also kind of weird as they took off their paint in the Werk Room. Nina thought at first that he was in his head about the Snatch Game, but now he’s starting to wonder if his answers as Vanjie might have fucked Brooke up a bit. He hasn’t had a chance to address it, but he’s going to have to tomorrow, just to make sure they’re cool. He thinks it will be okay. He’s pretty sure. Basically. Almost positive.

Nina might be working through some latent confidence issues as he pushes himself for four miles on the elliptical later that night in the hotel (work through the pain, he reminds himself), but it’s fine really. Nothing to see here. Move along.

His legs ache and his face drips sweat, but he feels—good, actually. Solid about his performance. (He did last year, too, but he’s trying not to think about that.)

Dolly is singing about ways to make a living in his ears. He’s not assuming - but he is preparing. Just in case. If he has to lipsync for his legacy, he wants to be ready. Wants to win this one more than any other challenge, and call him crazy, but he feels like there’s a real chance. He can’t pinpoint why exactly, but there’s some kind of feeling settling down into his bones, making him think that maybe maybe maybe—

Underneath that, something uncomfortable has wormed its way into his psyche. It has almost nothing to do with the actual competition. It’s stupid and predictable and oh-so-not what he should be concerned with while on the set of All Stars for Christ’s sake. But he is and he’s here and he’s feeling things, and Nina taught himself a long time ago that feeling things fully for a while and then letting them go is far more beneficial to his mental health than taking the Brooke route and bottling everything up and burying it under vodka cranberries and couch cushions.

So sure. Okay. He’s feeling some kind of way about this thing that he saw that he wasn’t even supposed to see and isn’t even any of his business, but that’s just Nina’s luck for you. So that’s what he focuses on (or tries not to) as he turns up the resistance and pushes through the last of his workout.

He’d risked a glance back at Monét right before the PAs had shoved them off the soundstage. He’s in the business of gem collecting now, savoring those moments, polishing them up for later use, and maybe he wanted a ruby tinted the exact shade of Monét’s lipstick as they’d smiled across the room at each other.

Instead, he’d seen Monét reaching out to Shangela, crimson lips puckered, arms outstretched, ready for the kiss Nina couldn’t make himself watch.

Maybe they had kissed, Nina didn’t know; he’d made himself turn away before he could inflict any more psychological damage on himself. (He’s choosing healthier options now, remember.)

Of course they hadn’t had a moment after the last runway. Why would he think that? When Monét could have anyone he wants, and Nina is practically an amorphous blob. Like. He knows drag queens are all touchy-cuddly most of the time, and he knows that there’s probably nothing going on between Monét and pretty, perfect, halleloo-ing Shangela. But there could be, right? And goddamn, that would actually make sense. As opposed to whatever madness was going on in Nina’s head last night.

He adds even more resistance to the elliptical - just for “fun.” Or maybe spite. And yeah, okay, one night of really solid work in the hotel gym isn’t going to turn him into Naomi Smalls with legs up to his asshole or anything, but it’s a start. And the sooner Nina can convince himself that he isn’t doing this for Monét (or anyone other than himself because he likes exercise, damn it), the better.

He’s a grown-ass adult. He recognizes delusion when he sees it in the mirror every morning. It’s time to face facts—he and Monét had one (wondrously) sensual, albeit (incredibly) drunken night months ago. Monét had left the ball in Nina’s court. Nina was too chickenshit to do anything about it. Now they’re tentative friends (Monét is his mentor after all), Nina might be going crazy (this whole bursting-into-song-but-not-really thing has gone too far), and it’s all just so messy.

Nina wipes his face, stretches, and heads out of the hotel gym. He probably looks like a sweaty disaster (okay, there’s no ‘probably’ about it) and he’s waiting for the elevator down to the floor with his room, when the doors “ding” open and he’s face to face with Monét.

Could be worse. Could be Branjie again.

“Get in loser, we’re going drinking!” Monét says, with a wide smile on his face.

He’s so fucking charming that Nina momentarily forgets that he himself is a hot damn mess. Literally, like hot. Dripping with sweat.

“Um.” He gets into the elevator anyway because - he’s gotta go somewhere. “Are we?”

“If you want.” Monét gets strangely shy as soon as the elevator doors close. Or maybe that’s just in Nina’s mind. “Was the Mean Girls reference too much? I feel like maybe it’s played out.”

Nina laughs out loud, awkwardness momentarily forgotten. Monét never seems anything but confident and composed, and that one moment of doubt is - surprisingly endearing.

Not that confident, composed Monét isn’t completely endearing as well. Like. It’s all good. It all works a little too well for Nina. Everything about Monét is working a little too well for Nina lately.

Shit, the elevator is moving, decision-making time is limited.

“I kinda look like - this?” Nina waves a hand at his damp self.

“Fine as hell, girl,” Monét says with a grin, “and no pressure, obviously. Though if I’m drinking alone at the hotel bar, it’s going to look a little sad. And, look, I can make sad work for me, that’s not a problem. But after the day I’ve had -”

“Oh, the day you’ve had. Yeah, I forgot how stressful it must have been. Competing on a reality show and all that.”

“Fuck off. Uh oh, we’re passing your floor -”

“How do you know which floor is mine?”

Monét blinks at him, briefly speechless, mouth agape. (It makes something spark like a firework in Nina’s chest, shoot colours across the night sky.) The moment passes and then Monét doesn’t even have the decency to look embarrassed, just smiles like a gorgeous monster as he taps his temple. “That’s classified mentor information.”

“Yeah?”

“Hell yeah. You don’t want to know about my top-secret dossier.”

“No, I - don’t.”

“You sure you don’t?” Monét winks at him, and the elevator dings as it reaches the ground floor. “Ah, shit, missed your stop. Better come do shots with me.”

“I mean, I could just press the button again.” Nina doesn’t know why he’s resisting, he wants to get tipsy with Monét more than he wants to do most things (aside from win All Stars and run for office someday maybe).

“Nah, girl, this elevator only goes down. One-way elevator. Sorry, should have told you.”

“Guess I’m out of options.”

“Guess so.”

They look at each other. Nina remembers the man that asked him up to his room the night of the finale. Nina remembers the taste of his mouth, the way Monét kept kissing him, like he couldn’t get enough. Nina -

- is clearly exhausted. And still delusional. But fuck it.

They go to the hotel bar (isn’t this how all the bad stories start?) and Monét buys them both a tequila sunrise and tells Nina way more than he should about Trixie Mattel.

“So her man and her are split. She’s feeling some kind of way about it.”

“Of course she is. Haven’t they been together for, like, ever?”

“Something like that. Fuck.” Monét drains his drink, motions for another round. “We’ve been talking about it, but I’m not - you know. I love her, she’s incredible, but - I’m not - her best friend.”

“You’re not Katya,” Nina says quietly, and Monét scrubs his hands over his face.

“Yeah. That.”

“So why isn’t she talking to Katya, then? You guys have your phones; Katya’s here now, for Christ’s sake.”

Monét shrugs. “Beats me.”

“Are they -” Nina doesn’t have any right to this information, but - he figures that Monét wants to talk about it. “Potentially… do you think -”

“Who the fuck knows? Honestly, when I said I’d come back to do this show, I did not think it would be like being in high school again. Like who is crushing on who, who is hooking up, it -” He darts a look over at Nina and then snaps his mouth shut. “I mean.”

Nina looks away. Finishes his second drink a bit too quickly. “You want another?”

“Okay,” Monét answers before Nina can even finish the sentence.

The bartender is particularly attentive, gets another round in front of them right away. He’s got a lot of smiles for them both, says, “This round’s on me, I’m a huge fan,” as he walks off to help another customer, and Nina - can’t help it, he’s a masochist - raises an eyebrow at Monét.

“Think you’ve got an admirer.”

“Yeah?” Monét rolls his eyes. “More like you do.”

“Should we turn this into an awful romantic comedy where we make a bet about who he likes more?”

Monét laughs like he’s shocked at himself. “Girl! Okay, but what happens at the end? Who wins?”

“Well, if we’re following the formula, we probably both realize that real love was right in front of - you know, I don’t know. You, you win.” Fuck fuck fuck, what the hell is Nina even saying? He watched too many Hallmark movies last Christmas. “That voice, that ass, right?” He tries to make it into a joke, even with Monét’s eyes all honeyed and serious on his face.

Monét purses those perfect lips, presses them into a semi-smile. “Just… didn’t want to assume nothing.”

They talk for another couple drinks, and it’s - shit, it’s easy. It’s never this easy with someone Nina likes. He knows he can be funny, knows he can bring out the charm (with the right amount of alcohol in his system) but usually if there are feelings involved it all goes to hell. Nina gets weird and in his head and laughs too loudly and spills his drink everywhere.

But with Monét - it shouldn’t be like this. It shouldn’t be this easy, especially with all the longing covering up the background like terrible flowered wallpaper. It shouldn’t be this easy for Nina to stop over-thinking things and just exist in the presence of this gorgeous person.

But it is. It is easy. That’s the worst part of it all.

Monét is laughing and grabbing for his arm (just like finale night in the other hotel bar) and there’s heat in Nina’s cheeks that isn’t just from the alcohol, and Monét’s lips are glistening and wet as he pulls the straw between them and sips every last bit of the cocktail into his mouth.

Nina swallows thickly, leans into the sound of Monét’s deep rumbling laugh, reaches for his knee when he starts to slip off the hotel barstool.

How many drinks are they in now? Four? Five? More? The room is spinning.

Nina is laughing. Light, airy. Not giggling exactly but laughing and his cheeks are burning and Monét is looking at him through narrowed eyes.

“Be careful, Nina West,” Monét says, and his voice is low and dangerous. “Be careful lookin’ at people like that. They might get… ideas.”

Nina’s breath hitches in his throat and he swallows hard. “Ideas?”

“I might get ideas.” Monét smiles crookedly; his eyes are half-closed and sleepy as he rests his chin on his hand and leans against the bar. “You never texted me.”

Nina’s so glad he’s drunk. So glad he missed his floor, even if it has led to this. Because this conversation, this thing has hung between them for the entirety of filming and it hasn’t been uncomfortable exactly (because they’re adults, thank you very much), but it hasn’t been wonderful either. And Nina more than anything wants to rewind back to May, go to lunch, talk about anything and everything and nothing with Monét until they fall back into hotel sheets and kiss and kiss and kiss until—

“Why didn’t you ever text me?”

Nina clears his throat. “I was… I… I wanted to.”

“But?” Monét’s eyes are wide and pleading now. Still glassy with the alcohol, but inquisitive, bright, waiting to see how Nina is going to explain himself.

Nina is too, to be honest.

So he shakes his head. “I don’t know. Honestly. I don’t have a good reason. I wanted to. I should have.”

Monét ducks his head, takes the paper straw from his drink and twirls it between his middle and ring finger. It sends tiny droplets of tequila sunrise all over the wooden bartop.

“I thought about that night a lot, Nina West,” Monét says quietly, wiping at the droplets with a damp beverage napkin. “I don’t do that. That’s not like me.”

“Me either,” Nina says.

Nina knows that if they were sober this would be a very different conversation. There would definitely be more emotions, there might even be some yelling (although that doesn’t really seem like Monét’s thing and he’s never been one to raise his voice, so maybe not). Either way, they aren’t sober, and now they’re the sleepy kind of drunk and exhausted, so they just sit there at the bar staring at each other, not sure what to say next.

“Why’d you pick me?” Nina finally asks. “For the competition? Because of… that night?”

Monét shrugs and pulls his credit card out of the back pocket of his jeans. “Just wanted to win, girl. That’s it.”

“Shit, I don’t have—”

Monét waves him off. “I got it. Consider it after-hours mentoring.”

Nina thanks him repeatedly as they stand (clumsily) and make their way out of the hotel bar (stumblingly) and back to the elevator. When the doors shut behind them, Nina has a brief flash of all the things that two consenting adults can get up to in an elevator (some of which he has seen in recent days). But no. No. They had their chance, right? The ship has sailed.

Nina’s room is a few floors beneath the mentors’ (apparently), so he steps off before Monét.

“Can you find your way back to your room?” Monét asks, and Nina wishes he could says ‘no. No, I’m going to get completely lost, no, I’ll fall down every two steps if I don’t have you holding me up. No, I need you to linger in my doorway, I need to panic about whether I should try to kiss you goodnight, I need to think about inviting you in.

(I wouldn’t. Of course I wouldn’t. So - unprofessional. But - it’d be nice to think about.)’

“Yeah.” He smiles. “I’ll manage.”

Monét grins. Nina likes to think there’s a bit of disappointment around the edges of it, but he’s also a couple drinks in, and wears the rosiest of glasses at the best of times.

“Thanks for the company and conversation, Nina West.”

Nina nods. Doesn’t touch him, doesn’t look over his shoulder at Monét as he leaves the elevator.

But he doesn’t go back to his room either.

He wanders the hotel. Presses the down button and gets on a different elevator a few minutes later.

Nina’s going to regret this tomorrow when he’s exhausted, but he just can’t imagine shutting himself in his dark little room and lying down right now. He’s vibrating, on edge. It’s a bad idea, because there’s nothing more depressing than a silent hotel after midnight - something about the lateness of the hour makes all the shine come off. Nina’s feet lead him down one hallway and down another, and he doesn’t realize he’s heading to their usual breakfast-conference room until he hears… music?

Yes, there’s definitely music coming out of there, the casual strumming of a stringed instrument that doesn’t have anywhere to go. Someone might be humming too, it’s hard to tell from a distance.

Nina follows the sound.

The door is open, just a bit, and all the lights are on. Sitting alone in the room is Trixie Mattel, bent in concentration over her autoharp.

Out of drag, she looks smaller, more vulnerable. It’s clear just how young she is. She’s picking at a tune, murmuring something under her breath. Nina suddenly feels a warm breeze against his skin, and the melody that Trixie’s playing becomes clearer, a delicate bluegrass riff that would be at home on Nina’s old Emmylou Harris or Linda Ronstadt records.

Along with the warm breeze comes a gust of dandelion seeds, floating through the hallway like tiny wisps of cotton. Nina feels like he’s alone with Trixie in the middle of a waving wheat field, sun-baked and desolate. He can smell the cracked soil beneath his feet, hear the sound of crickets chirping in time with Trixie’s brittle melody.

Oh no. That thing is happening again.

Trixie starts to sing:

“You’re the brightest star in any room.

I’m never lonelier than when I’m with you.

I miss something that’s never happened.

I miss a place I’ve never been to.”

Her voice is quiet at first, but it grows louder.

“There are some bridges that you cannot cross

Say it again ‘til I convince myself

But all this certainty it feels like loss.

I wouldn’t risk this much for no one else.”

Trixie gets to her feet, starts walking through the wheatfield as she sings the chorus.

“And there’s a wide field between us

How you traveled all those miles without me I don’t understand

I’m always on the edge of falling

And you could pull me over just by reaching out your hand

If you’d only take that chance.”

She keeps plucking at the harp, and Nina feels words welling up inside him, ready to spill from his mouth (when he starts singing, he’s thinking of Monét. Because of course he is.)

“This sort of thing, it don’t come easy

I never know just what to do or say

It feels impossible, believe me

That you would ever look at me that way.”

He thinks of Monét’s lips on Shangela’s after the Snatch Game. He thinks of Monét’s eyes on him at the bar. (“Be careful lookin’ at people like that, Nina West.”)

“There are some bridges that you cannot cross

I built up walls around this paper heart

But when I see you I forget it

All of the reasons we should be apart.”

Trixie harmonizes along with Nina as he sings the chorus.

“And there’s a wide field between us

How I traveled all these miles, baby, I don’t understand

I’m always on the edge of falling

And you could pull me over by just reaching out your hand

But could I ever take that chance?”

Nina sings the last line one more time, feeling the weight of his hopeless longing rising like a tide inside his chest. “If you’d only take that chance…”

“Nina?”

“Um.”

Trixie is sitting in the conference room, staring at him. She’s holding her autoharp but there’s no flowing wheatfields or whatever. Somehow Nina ended up in the doorway, just standing there. Fuck’s sake. Is he dissociating? Musically??? This is unbearable.

“How long have you been there?” Trixie asks, confused.

“Um, just got - here, so -” Nina’s face is probably turning bright red, and he’s hoping against that he hasn’t just been shouting song lyrics blankly at a terrified Trixie Mattel for the past few minutes. “Are you okay?”

Trixie winces. Then she nods.

“Yeah, of course. Just - yes. Couldn’t sleep. Figuring some - stuff out. You?”

“Just - you know. Having an emotional spiral.”

“Oh honey…” Trixie’s smiling but her voice is soft and sad. “My first perm was an emotional spiral, honey.”

Nina laughs in a brittle way, because 1) Trixie’s hilarious and 2) it’s obvious she’s trying to make him feel better.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“Not right now,” Trixie sighs, shakes her head. “But thanks.”

Nina leaves her to it. After - whatever that just was - he feels ready to crash at long last. He’s still a bit buzzed from the tequila, but his nervous energy has banked, and he heads back to his room. He’s ready to sleep, ready to deal with tomorrow when it gets here.

So of course, there’s someone waiting for him outside his room.

“Nina West.” Maya the P.A. gives him a slow, broad smile the moment he comes into view. “Found your way back, hey? Great. We need to talk.”

Interlude: Trixie

Conversation with:

swamp thing

i cunt believe i agreed to this

Fuck autocorrect CANT

It knows what you REALLY MEANT

It knew i was texting you and assumed

I’ll take it

You’ll take anything

I ain’t proud mama

I’m hunnnnnngry

For serious though, things okay there?

For serious serious

4 C-ri-us

GROSS

That’s gonna be my dj name

Please welcome to the stage

Why do I talk to you

Why do i even know you

Yes things are find its just weird

Being back on set

And like also runnign a business and

planning a tour and all of it. At least

they let us keep our phones

Must be hard being successful

I’m crying for you

I didn’t know you could still produce tears

I squeeze em out

Like milking a cow

Just need the right suction

Stop talking to me

What can you say that you won’t get sued for

I want drama

Who’s fisting who

Ha monet wishes she was fisting someone

Shes like middle school crushing on a queen here

Its kinda cute and sad

If love isn’t pathetic i don’t want it

And there’s last seasons whole thing

#branjie

sell those hats

That is not about hats

I saw them at a show in LA last summer

They’re fucked up in love, mama

IN LOVE???

Who even are you

I’m a person who has eyes

that can see things

Are they not together? They’re togther right?

NOPE

Are you fucking kidding

I don’t believe it

Since when are you this romantic

I’m not romantic

I have no romance in my bones

It’s just OBVIOUS

Well not to them

SO

Ahhhh the gays

When will we figure our shit out

Realize what’s right in front of us

You gone?

Yeah sorry

Going to pass out

Don’t die or anything

Whiel i’m gone

Aren’t you sweet

Conversation with:

sure thing

Doing anything fun tonight?

Or just missing me

Babe?

Ok sorry filming again

Call you on break

Do not let me do this again

I don’t care what they offer me

(id o care what they offer me)

Breaks over talk to you after?

How was your day?

Call me if you want

I’m done for the night

Just getting white girl wasted alone

In my hotel room

At the mini bar yes i’m that famous now

I’m gonna crash call me if you get this

Love u

Conversation with:

swamp thing

I dreamt that i was in a bsatroom

At mcdonalds that one you puked in

After the show in philadelphia

Do you remember? Probably not

And you were there and fucking

Gordon ramsay was there (!!!)

And he wad hitting on you

And i wasd so pissed off

And thrn this lady came in and was like

‘You can’t be in here, this is for ronald only” And i fully shot her with a GUN

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TRACY

I just woke up and feel like a monster

She was just doing her job

Ronald mcdonald needs his private shitter

And i just killed her

I killed a living dream person

Thank you for sharing this with me

I feel so close to you right now

Yeah i don’t confess dream murder

to just ayone

But WHAT DOES IT MEAN???

Latent Ronald mcdonald fetish

Clearly

I’m not a doctor or anythng

But i’m sorry you’re dying

Yep yep makes sense

I always knew it would end like this

fuck/marry/kill

me/gordan ramsay/ronald mcD

(you wanna know what the D stands for)

No i want to sleep

For 3 more hours

But i’m on reality tv again

You should havw stopped me

Maybe this dream was a warning!

I’m supposed to save you

From endng up on Chopped

What did you dream about?

U have to tell me even if it’s sexy

That’s the law

Another teeth falling out one

Mama you know that’s my kink

Conversation with:

sure thing

Good morning sexy thing

I’m so tiiiiiired

Don’t make me get up yet

Hey are u alive?

Yes

Yay u r alive!

I called u yesterday night

And at lunch

U ok?

Did u get my messages?

yes

Ok

Can i call you?

I miss your voice

I cant talk right now

Sorry

Ok

I’ll call you tonight

After filming?

Sure

Love u gorgeous

Hey just called left a message

Give me a shout later

I miss you

Brian

Have you seen the pics

from the MTV Movie Awards?

Ummm ok

No i’ll look them up

Ok

Fuck my lashes are so uneven

U breaking up with me over lashes

Lol

U and kat are pretty cuddly

Haha

are u being serious

Ur joking

Are u ok? Can i call u?

I’m out right now

Call you when i get home

Ok

But we’ve talked about this before right

U know we’re friends

Me and Kat

We’re just friends

U know this

Yeah i have lots of friends

And we don’t hold hands and kiss eachother

All the fucking time

So we’re fdoing this over text?

Is that what we’re doing

No i’ll call u later

Call me ok? I love u

U cannot be jealous of katya

She’s my Business Partner

And it’s DRAG

We touch each otehr all the time

We all do

Gotta go call u later

Conversation with:

swamp thing

Can we talk?

Not if ur busy

Let me just stop blowing this senator

And kick the clowns out

And get thes handcuffs off

No i’m not worth it

Keep these good things goin

It was winding down anyway

Gettin awkward

I have yoga tomorrow

Whats up pussycat

This is gonna sound really weird

Have you seen the pics of us

from the movie awwrds

Probably blocked them out

why????

am i like a troll

No more than usual

David texted me about them

And he’s all pissed off??

Because of us holding hands

Like so so stupid right

WHAT???!

Thats crazy!

Im so sorry

This isn’t the handmaids tale

He can calm his tits

(sorry, not to attack him just) Has he seen our shows??

What did you tell him

To fucking call me!!!

And he hasn’t

And i’m on this stupid set and can’t just go

See him and convince him how crazy he is

I’m so sorry

Do you want me to call him

I’ll call him

Tell me what to say

No don’t

Don’t worry

Its fine

I’ll talk to him

Conversation with:

swamp thing

Hey are you awake

If youre awake call me

david and I are done

over the phone

FUN

sorry you’re clearly asleep

I’m just a little drunk

brian

he said some things

that ive been thinking about

maybe call me tomorrow if u can

guess ill see you soon anyway

dont die while im gone

miss u

[pyrten]

DAZAI OSAMU : QUICK CHARACTER STUDY

(At 3 AM in the morning and that's why it's messy, all over the place and generally, shit.)

Majority of the characters in BSD are morally grey, Dazai included. I'm unable to categorise characters into good or evil, which is what makes BSD really nice to watch.  

Majority of the instances, whenever I have an opinion on someone like Dazai, it's mainly based on their actions. I'll make an exception for his case because I believe he speaks the truth sometimes. 

It's seriously difficult to believe what someone like him says. His weapon is his intellect and his tongue. He could say this and do that instead. Obviously he isn't good at combat, but he could say something and have you on the hook.

He's cunning, sly and in general: a liar (sometimes). As for psychological manipulation… well, it's not something to be looked down upon since it's in our everyday lives.

DARK ERA

He has a more serious aura and was far more suicidal compared to ADA Dazai. He barely flinched when a bullet grazed his cheek. 

I won't even sugarcoat the fact that Dazai is an asshole. 

The way he treated Akutagawa is wrong. The training may have made him resilient, but his mental health isn't in an okay shape. In the end, he even upped and left him without an explanation (although, I think Akutagawa has an idea of why he left).  

Remember when he fired at the GSS captain? If I didn't count wrong, it was 13 shots (my dude over here desecrating a corpse). 

(I couldn't find the GIF of him shooting the corpse, so this is as close as I can get)

He does poke fun at Chuuya, and you can perhaps say that he does some good (but we've only seen a single good deed so far…).

He recognized that Chuuya was being manipulated by the Sheep and in his own way gave him a push. There was the part* when Shirase was talking and it zoomed in on Dazai, who had a wary, analyzing look on him. 

It's clear that the Sheep is quite dependent on him. They believe that Chuuya will be there to save them whenever they fuck up (ex. crossing the river to steal booze, when they know it's near the PM HQ, in result, getting a few of their members captured). They came looking for him to put it simply, beat up and save their comrades, which points towards the fact that they are using him for his ability. 

Shirase also said:

"People who hold more cards than others have a responsibility. Fulfill your responsibility as the one with the trump card called an ability."*

Which again, further points towards the fact that they are using him for his ability and somewhat guilt tripping him. 

Dazai later adds his own input.

"Amusing. You guys are truly amusing. He's by far the strongest among you, but he's like a sheep being stared down by wolves." 

Called out. 

It then changes to show Chuuya's face. Honestly he looks on guard, and I think he knows what they're trying to do, but it's a can of worms he would rather not open, y' know?  

Dazai then later says once more when Shirase is trying to convince Chuuya to kick the PM's ass.

"Give it a rest. He has the freedom to choose how he uses his ability. Even a child would understand that. There's no argument." 

And as a final attempt to convince Chuuya, he pulls the old guilt trip card, which Dazai and Chuuya ignore. 

"Don't forget, Chuuya! The Sheep who took you in when you had no identity and nowhere to go! 

When all of this is happening, Dazai knew Chuuya was being manipulated, and he also watered the seed of doubt with his actions, and in the end the Sheep turned their backs on Chuuya, which led to Chuuya joining the Port Mafia. 

I can say this was a small good deed, pulling Chuuya out, but the choice was Chuuya's and he just gave a push. 

ARMED DETECTIVE AGENCY

Dazai isn't a naturally kind and virtuous person, but he's trying, for Oda (oh boy).

The way he handled Kyoka's situation wasn't all rainbows and confetti. 

I have a feeling he's trying to look at the bigger picture, to save people (perhaps because he blames himself for Oda's death, but I'll set that aside temporarily due to the time), but his methods aren't... nice. Atsushi has gotten hurt multiple times, Akutagawa too. In some ways, I suppose I can understand some things are unavoidable, but still. 

Compared to how he treated Akutagawa, he's far better with Atsushi. He's treating him the way Oda treated him. 

Atsushi has a completely different mindset compared to Akutagawa. He's a selfless person, he fights injustice. If Dazai tried to treat him the way he treated Akutagawa, I can confirm that isn't gonna turn out good. 

Besides, he's trying to become a better person. That, and he owes Akutagawa an apology.

From this part onwards, these are all flash thoughts that I wrote quickly because I'm falling asleep by the minute.

FLASH THOUGHT #1 :

Now that's over with… I don't particularly have anything to add on. So I'm going to move onto… uh, how do I word this, facade?

I said above that his weapon is his intellect. It's clear that whatever he has on can be fake, or real. Y'know that goofy, playful Dazai we all know. 

He's probably able to control his every movement and actions. Like, I cannot imagine Dazai doing something ACCIDENTALLY. Imagine that, someone who can control his own heartbeat, doing something accidentally (unintentionally, he never meant to do it, yeah that would be surprising).

But then again he's human… despite being a strategic and tactical genius… so yes, him doing something on accident would be interesting to watch.

Now if he miscalculated or like mistaken, uh, like that time, with the hiker, BSD Season 3. Then, yes that's understandable. 

FLASH THOUGHT #2:

Mk… facade and accidents are covered… uh… I'll talk about the power he had when he was 14, Dark Era Dazai.

… He had enough sway in the mafia since he was 14 (correct me if I'm wrong). He was allowed to be the sole witness of the Boss's final wish. SOLE WITNESS. A young boy at the age of 14 was allowed to be the sole witness. 

He was considered to be the youngest executive in the Port Mafia. If so, then why didn't the other executives (during the reign of the Old Boss) fight over the choice to be the witness of the Boss's death other than Mori. Perhaps the Old Boss didn't have executives, but that's unlikely.  

Now, that's something.  

FLASH THOUGHT #3:

Talking about suicide… I think Dazai doesn't want to die, but he does. He's failed so many suicide attempts, some of them being sabotaged, but what about the others. 

Since Dazai didn't have anyone around his age constantly (save for Oda and Ango, but several years later… perhaps when he was 16, seeing how Oda and Dazai knew each other during the Dragon's Head Rush), he only had victories of his missions and such to comfort his loneliness.  

I think that it's practically ingrained in him. 

Dying means winning and losing. Your life is finished. 

If that's the case, dying would mean he lost (but won). It's conflicting and confusing as hell, I know ;-; . I'm trying to explain my thoughts the best I can - . 

When Chuuya came around, his loneliness was, um, calmed, a little. 

Oda died and gave him a reason to live.

I think he still feels a little lonely though.

That's the end. I'll be out like a light in about 3 mins so I'll just, drop a GIF and go before I start pressing anything on accident.

Yep, okay, bye bye.

oh, I forgot the hashtags, um .

Hashtags added.

Good night. :D

[aamethyst000]

Nov 5,22 3:55pm

I woke up 1230 to lay comfortably on my bed, cuddling with my cat. while scrolling on my phone, I am thinking of postponing my therapy appointments for next year. I know that, starting this month and onwards, I will be busy with Christmas and possibly decorating. I am not on my first cup of coffee and you know what I forgot to do yesterday? I'll tell ya, I forgot to take my pills. misses one day, I am hoping it doesn't have much affect on me today. I'm thinking of getting my laundry done after I make myself something to eat. I get the feeling my ma will ask me to make her something too.

also, I think I am going to go back on my posts and add in some hashtags just for my Journaling posts, in case anyone wants to go read some of my old post or just curious. who knows, maybe my story will start to get interesting before I could even blink.

4:13pm - yeah, that is what ill be doing, is thinking up of hashtags to use and go back to my old posts and edit them ^-^ I am also just going to get started on my laundry, and my second cup of coffee. I have yet to take my meds still.

4:46pm - just having a toke with my family, just started my laundry. and I have thought of what hashtags I can use when I post. I'll be updating my old posts with them later on

5:37pm - I just made ichiban for my first meal, I will be making another pot of coffee soon after this toke sesh. then I will be checking on my laundry soon after. mum and I will be making breakfast for supper, but only after her pens game is over. I'd be watching it with her but i have chores to do, ill be resting tomorrow.

my mums poor pupper (he is 13 years old) went blind a while back, so because of that. we are having a more difficult time to clip his claws. as old as he is, the old pupper is STRONG when he feels that there is clipers near by. he can give you a nose bleed if you are not careful. both of us reassure him too, and the poor thing still gets nervous. he calms down after he gets put back under his blankies, his safe space.

7:12pm - I am just going to get ready to start dinner, I got half of my laundry done and i am on my third cup of coffee. this will be fun, oh, and I finally took my pills. I don't want to miss another day again. or week, for that matter lol

[prorevenge]

Abuse your position as a lecturer to groom young women? I'll let your boss know.

TL;DR at the bottom!

Sooo imma just lay the facts on the table: I was in a relationship with my ex university lecturer for 3 years. (U.K. Based, Catholic University FYI). Lets call him Puke. My relationship with Puke started after I graduated so as far as I was concerned we were just two normal adults with a bit of an age gap getting together.

Although I was aware that he had dated one student previous to me, I genuinely believed that Puke and I had something special and our relationship was a bit of a case of Star crossed lovers. (Or not even that, cos we're all adults here, right?)

He would take me out to beautiful restaurants, buy me roses, chocolate, and books, and basically be the textbook romantic; opening doors for me, whisking me away to hotels for the weekend, making sure I got home safe, messaging me saying he was thinking about me, etc. When we would talk he would make me feel like I was the most important person in the world and that he cared about my thoughts, ideas and opinions. I felt like I really mattered. I fell for him hook, line and sinker.

What seemed to start as a romantic and loving relationship slowly descend Into an abusive one over the course of 3 years. (It's amazing how warped your normal meter will get when it is slowly manipulated over this time, I honestly can't believe that I stayed with him for so long even though he treated me the way he did.)

Long story short, he treated me very badly. We broke up and I moved on.

A few months later, I hear on the grape vine that Puke is under investigation with his university. Turns out he's been "secretly" seeing a current student and has been posting naked/inappropriate images of her on the internet.

LOADS of students had seen the images and he even put the hashtag #collegegirls underneath it.

His university were asking questions about his general conduct with ex students in the past, and an acquaintance of mine was asked to go in and give a statement.

It was all very low key (I assume as to not tarnish the "good name" of this catholic institution) but in light of this, I decided to do a bit of digging.

When Puke and I were together, he would tell me that particular female students would take a liking to him. At the time, I believed him when he told me that they had made advances that were unsolicited on his part, and also believed him when he told me he had reported the incidents to his universities HR department. (IKR?! I was stupid and in love.)

However, in the light of this new information I began to realise that this was unlikely the case.

So I Facebook searched some names of the female students that I remember him mentioning- there were a few names that stuck in my mind.

I messaged them all, telling them who I was and what was going on at the university, inviting them to submit a statement if the stories that he had told me about them weren't true.

I opened a very big can of worms.

The young women were all lovely, and shocked to hear that Puke even had a girlfriend (me) at the time. They all had very similar stories to me. The roses, chocolates, books; offers of weekends away in fancy hotels- our stories were all identical, right down the topics we would talk about and restaurants he would take us to.

It was clear to me that our relationship was not one based on mutual love, but a fulfilment of his teacher/ student and power play fetish. We were all either current or ex students of his. We were all the "geeky" type. We were all vulnerable for one reason or another.

So how did I get my revenge?

All I had to do was tell the truth.

I wrote a statement to the University and told them about how we got together and what he had told me about the other young women. I also told them some other things: about how he would have me mark his students work for him, (I did it because he would claim that he was too stressed and didn't have the time to do it. He made it out that he was depressed and that they were over working him at the uni. Turns out that me doing his work for him was just to give him more time to date other students.)

On its own our relationship didn't have much to do with his place of work/ my old uni- there's a chance that he may have planted some seeds beforehand while I was still a student, but I had long since graduated when we began seeing each other. Although he was awful, manipulative and abusive, frankly our relationship in and of itself wasn't any of his place of works business. However, his patterns of behaviour (dare I say, grooming behaviour?) were clear, as was the the fact that he would have me mark his students essays for him. He also told me that he covertly recorded his colleagues in the hope that they would "say the wrong thing" so he could "whistleblow" to the university. I shared all of this with the university, with evidence to back it up.

On top of that, the multiple relationships he had kindled with these other girls were current students at the time of the romances. In fact, he had supervised all of their dissertations while the romances were going on too. I'm pleased to say that they all (or at least, the ones I knew about) made statements, with ample evidence to back up their testimony too.

I found out in September that Puke was no longer lecturing at the uni, and a new person had been hired to teach his classes. More recently his details have been taken down from the university website. I'm taking this to mean that he has gone for good.

Puke has probably ruined his career now. Regardless of weather he lectures again or not, I hope that he will never be able to abuse a position of power like that again.

TL;DR ex boyfriend who was also my ex university lecturer treats me badly and we break up. Later, he is put under investigation by his work for secretly dating his students. I discover that there has been a long list of them and let his boss know.

(source) (story by deleted)

[classychassiss]

We still gotta finish the rest of the season but just like. Off the bat?

I'll say this, I like the Terrans a lot and wish maybe the show could have just been the Terrans without all the extra baggage of the war. I'm just, weirded out by the lack of narrative care to ACTUALLY keep these kids as far away as possible when that was a big question/conflict in the first half of the series. I love the Maltos, I love Mo and Robbie and I love the Terrans, thats my main takeaway

But man these episodes are. Not good lmao sorry. First of all what is the point of bringing Tarantulas, noted creep and freak, and essentially making a whole new Character? Make a new character, or you could have used like ANY other scientist. Why not Black Arachania who is like, idk, significantly less creepy off the bat and also has some actual narrative juice to be persuaded to be sympathetic? The episode itself was cute but its muddled because of Tarantulas

The fact that the evil group here has just. Worse, hamfisted writing compared to MECH from TFP is like HOW!! How did you do that!! And why WHY with the Megatron and Decepticon revlotuon background again argh argh WHY DOES MEGATRON HAVE A MONUMENT AND WHERE IS OPTIMUS? WHY would you write an episode where you got these kids playing in a MEMORIAL? WHY da hell was Shockwave left underneath the memorial and the lab left in tact if they knew it was there LMAO?? LIKE i can't wrap my brain around it. Its not a suspension of disbelief its just like a case of not understanding the creative choices here.

The main problem we were having while watching the first part is simply the tonal shift from the mid season finale to the goofy kid time where the threat was in the BG but somehow still not treated with the sincerity/seriousness that was built up and that. I dont think thats good Im sorry! And I don't enjoy the life of Megatron being sucked away in favor of making him a reformed good guy while Hashtag waxes poetic about how tremendous his redemption is without giving the audience a chance to decide while Elita-1 is right there and gets her own sweet little moment with Jawbreaker kind of overshadowed!

The lack of care with the kids and this war vacillating between 'this is serious we have to keep you guys safe' and 'we'll let the kids watch actual war footage and go off to do things its fine' its wild to me I don't know its just a little confused in who its speaking with at times?

Watched some of the episodes of the second half of Earthspark and lol. Lmao even. My thoughts aren't all that hyped